Affirm Dignity | End Euthanasia
Who has dignity? What does it mean for us to affirm the inherent dignity of every person? What does 'dying with dignity' really mean?
Learn more about the growing community of people who seek to Affirm Dignity
Share
We believe that all people have inherent dignity, no matter their age or health condition. A fair and just society cares for its most vulnerable. Once we open the door to intentional killing, there is no logical stopping point. This is not just a hypothesis. In countries such as Belgium and the Netherlands, euthanasia cases have increased a hundredfold since legalization.
The pressure to legalize euthanasia in every region of the globe is real and increasing. Contact us at AffirmDignity@ADFinternational.org if you are aware of such pressure in your country or another.
Affirm Dignity | End Euthanasia
Charter
The right to life is a fundamental and inherent human right, recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and guaranteed by all human rights treaties. People at all stages of life and in all regions of the world are increasingly vulnerable to assaults on this foundational right. Without respect for human life, there can be no respect for human dignity. The most vulnerable deserve our compassionate love and support. There is nothing progressive about a society that refuses to care for them.
Therefore, we:
affirm that the right to life cannot include a right to die;
deplore the promotion of practices like euthanasia or assisted suicide;
consider every suicide a tragedy, and we recall the international obligation on States to take measures to prevent suicide;
denounce the slippery slope of legalized euthanasia which results in pressure on the vulnerable to die;
condemn the application of euthanasia to children, vulnerable adults, and those who have not given their consent;
believe society owes those suffering better options than euthanasia, such as palliative care;
affirm that palliative care is prevention and relief of suffering, which does not hasten nor postpone death (as defined by the World Health Organization);
call for the prohibition of euthanasia and assisted suicide and further investment in compassionate alternatives which Affirm Dignity.
Learn

The Legalization of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
International law robustly protects the right to life—particularly for the most vulnerable. The threat posed by a number of legislative proposals is highlighted through the example of those countries which have already legalized euthanasia or assisted suicide. This paper investigates the developments in Belgium, Canada, and the Netherlands and shows that in countries which have already gone down this road, the number of people euthanized, and the number of qualifying conditions increase with no logical stopping point.
-
commentary
7 examples of how Belgium doesn’t follow its own euthanasia law
New Zealand voters could be helped by looking at the experience in other countries before making up their minds on the euthanasia referendum. This summer, Czechia became the latest country...
Published on 07 Oct 2020 -
commentary
Coronavirus highlights the importance of protecting the vulnerable
Robert Clarke, ADF International's Deputy Director (Advocacy), comments on the Royal College of Physicians's decision to not support a change in the law to permit assisted dying. In a commentary...
Published on 16 Apr 2020 -
commentary
Affirm Dignity | End Euthanasia campaign shows harsh consequences of its legalization
"This so-called 'right' to die is becoming a 'duty' to die for people. So at a certain age, or if you have a certain disease, if you have a certain...
Published on 27 Mar 2020 -
commentary
One Life’s Value: The Legacy of Elizabeth Bakewicz
When the doctor walked in to deliver her diagnosis, Elizabeth Bakewicz noticed that all 5 residents were staring at the ground. “They looked like they were about to take a...
Published on 10 Dec 2019 -
commentary
Canadian court decision moves Canada further down the slippery slope of euthanasia
The pressure to legalize euthanasia in every region of the globe is real. And it’s increasing. Canada joined the handful of countries legalizing intentional killing, when a federal law (‘MAID’...
Published on 05 Nov 2019 -
commentary
Protecting human dignity is the EU’s top job
Over the last few weeks, Europe has debated who should end up holding the top jobs in Brussels for the next five years. However, the real question is what in...
Published on 19 Oct 2019
Featured Video
Share
CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE | SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA