Abortion and National Association of Social Workers - Assignment Example

of Abortion and the Ethics of the NASW Abortion is one of the most important issues in theworld today. In the United States of America, there is a great debate that is raging in relation to the legal framework within which abortion has to work. This has implications for the other ideological decisions that shall be taken by the state as issues of religion and women’s rights are associated with this issue. As such, it is not one that has a simple solution in a society that is as multicultural and diverse as the United States of America. The beliefs and value systems of a variety of communities need to be taken into account while formulating a flexible code for abortion. It is interesting in this situation to look at a person’s own biases and prejudices while dealing with this issue. Since every person is situated in a society and can be looked at as a product of the history of that society, it is safe to assume that prejudices would be a part of every person. There needs to thus, be a conscious effort to rid oneself of the prejudices that are a part of one’s mind. It is here that one sees the importance of a code of ethics as laid down by the National Association of Social Workers. This paper shall look at the articles of this code and how it helps one to rid oneself of many a prejudice and work towards a more harmonious society. The code of ethics according to the NASW demands that people who are social workers accept the cultural changes that are a part of today’s society and learn to live in harmony without intentionally or otherwise, causing any damage to the sentiments of others. It is in this context that the issue of abortion becomes a huge issue that becomes difficult for people to grapple with. Any stand that is taken at present seems to be in violation of the beliefs of certain groups, as far as abortion is concerned. This is however, applicable only for those groups that advocate a complete ban on abortion or complete freedom. As in most issues of a multicultural society, the middle path would be the intelligent route to take in this matter. This is especially so since it tends to divide people into watertight compartments even at a political level where it becomes a major issue in pre-electoral times. This lack of discrimination is exhorted to be practiced as can be seen in this part of the code of ethics- “Social workers should obtain education about and seek to understand the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical disability.” (Cultural Competence and Social Diversity) In these lines is laid down a very forceful edict against any form of discrimination or essentialization. While looking at the cases of Sarah Moore and Charlotte Byrne (Rhodes), it is difficult for me to keep aside my pro-life prejudices and look at the cases as ones where people had to make certain choices about their lives and that of ones that they were about to bring into the world. It is however, important that one tries to put oneself in the shoes of the people who have gone through experiences that traumatized them and alienated them from the people that they were close to in life. The importance of this can be seen in the stances that have been taken by the NASW in cases where people have expressed a desire to abort their fetuses. In this context, it may be useful to look at what Frederic G. Reamer has to say on the attitude that the organization demonstrates towards this issue- It is well known that, as an organization, NASW has traditionally respected clients’ decisions about whether to seek a legal abortion. NASW is not pro-abortion; rather, the association is “pro-choice.” That is, NASW policy respects clients’ right to obtain information and services from social workers that will enable them to make their decision, consistent with the moral principle of autonomy (Reamer 117). It is this very insistence on the autonomy of persons and communities that gets reflected in the pro-life stance that the NASW adopts. My ideas were more similar to those of Nancy Anders, a person who was forced to abort her baby as a result of the pressure from the community that she was a part of. She equates abortion and murder and sees in abortion a spiritually degraded action (Anders). Now, however, when I read her article about her experience, I am forced to think of how being given the choice would have made life easier for somebody like her as she would not be plagued with guilt as she was following her abortion. Such issues have to be dealt with in a more complex fashion than looking at every abortion done by every person as a sin. The code of ethics that the NASW lays down makes it clear that promoting a pro-choice framework would make the situation easier for women when they actually have to make that choice. The NASW has acted against reforms that were meant to make abortion more difficult for young mothers in the past (NASW Health Care Roundup – Nov 10, 2009). This should not be seen as a pro-abortion move as much as a move that is directed towards maintaining the autonomy that women have when it comes to dealing with their own bodies. While my own prejudices made me feel that procedures for abortion needed to be made stricter and not available to everyone at every point of time, the stance of the NASW that takes a nuanced view of the difference between pro-abortion and pro-choice is something that gives autonomy and free will of women precedence over metanarratives that seek to control lives in a socially deterministic sense. When the NASW code of ethics states that “NASW encourages the recognition and protection of an individual’s ‘unimpeded access to family planning and reproductive health services, including abortion services, [as] a fundamental human right that contributes to the advancement of women worldwide.’ ” (Position Statement of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Regarding the Confirmation of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to the United States Supreme Court), it takes away from religious denominations that authority over the lives and bodies of even those women who do not believe in them. It also makes clear the importance of understanding the differences between the different sections of the society in a society that is multicultural, multilingual and which also has people who follow several different religions. The protection of the rights of these communities is what organizations such as the NASW seek to protect and this needs to be the duty of every citizen. This forms a part of making a better nation and also ensuring the protection of the human rights of different communities. It is only when these codes of ethics are inculcated in the people of a nation that they would be able to establish a peaceful and harmonious society. Works Cited Ander, Nancy. “Before I Had Time to Think: Case study of rape and abortion”. After Abortion. Web. 31 Oct. 2012 “Cultural Competence and Social Diversity”. National Association of Social Workers. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. “NASW Health Care Roundup – Nov 10, 2009”. Socialworkblog. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. “Position Statement of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Regarding the Confirmation of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to the United States Supreme Court.” National Association of Social Workers. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. Reamer, Frederic G. Social Work Values and Ethics. Third Ed. New York: Columbia UP, 2006. 117. Print. Rhodes, Chloe. “Abortion: two case studies”. The Telegraph. 1 May 2008. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. Read More