On October 26-28, 2018 in the conference center of the hotel “proton” was held in Moscow all-Russian conference forum “Healthy future. Family values and demographics. Global and regional context”, organized by the Patriarchal Commission on family matters, protection of motherhood and childhood, the world Russian peoples Council and the national Council of Orthodox associations in defense of life. The event was attended by more than 70 heads of diocesan and community centers for the protection of family and childhood, according to patriarhiei.
In the plenary session was attended by the Chairman of the Patriarchal Commission Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov, member of the Bureau of the Presidium of the ARNS N.B. Zhukov, chief specialist of the Russian Ministry of health on reproductive health, corresponding member of RAS O. I. Apolikhin, Chairman of the Council of Orthodox associations in defense of life, priest Feodor Lukyanov, academics and professionals in psychology, health, law.
Speakers addressed relevant topics in the discussion, which was scheduled new tasks for regional development of the Russian Council of Orthodox associations in defense of life. Special attention was paid to the initiative of his Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the withdrawal of abortion from the compulsory health insurance system. Were discussed the issues of interaction with the secular voluntary associations working in the field of prevention of abortion, the scheme of work of the Federal situational-methodical center, which has become the organizational basis for the interaction.
In the reports of the representatives of the Church of the Orthodox community have emphasized the importance of approval and immutability of basic values — a strong, healthy family and the joys of fatherhood and motherhood, chastity, love and fidelity in marriage as the moral basis of the system of protection of the rights and dignity of children before birth.
Forum members fully supported the thesis about the necessity of legislative guarantees for the protection of the health of the child in the prenatal stage of development, a clear legal definition of “human fetus”, as well as necessary in the development of modern biomedical technologies to empower the human fetus legal status until birth.
Many reports have emphasized that the society should get access to full and objective statistics about the complications and the impact on women’s health such as artificial abortion and assisted reproductive technologies (e.g. IVF). Today, such statistics are not available to the General public.
The proposal for the establishment in each region working groups, coordinating and providing comprehensive, including legal support for the work of the Orthodox unions on family matters, protection of motherhood and childhood, was unanimously supported by the participants.
In the discussion after the plenary meeting emphasized the significance of cooperation between representatives of the Church, medicine and public nonprofit associations in the protection of life and health of future generations. Following the forum a resolution will be adopted, which is expected to become a strategic basis for effective enforcement of legislative and preventive work at national and regional levels.