INTRODUCTION
Euthanasia in Australia is illegal however this violates our basic rights as humans. Choosing to die supports an Australian’s basic human rights and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Euthanasia gives humans the opportunity to die with dignity and alleviates any unnecessary suffering. Assisted suicide is already a widespread practice therefore, it is better to have it legalised and regulated so that the people involved can receive the counselling and support needed during what is already a difficult time. This approach works for both the person intending to die and also the families and friends close to the person. Some religious Australians see all assisted death as a state sanctioning killing and …show more content…
Many also point out that “Advocates of euthanasia argue that a patient has the right to make the decision about when and how they should die, based on the principles of autonomy and self-determination” (Ebrahimi, N, 2012, p 74). At its core, this means that human beings have the right to make decisions in regards to their own life as long as they are not harming another and this completely supports voluntary euthanasia. It is argued that each person is in charge of their own destiny and should be able to choose whether or not they wish to continue to live as a terminally ill patient or to have their life ended in a painless way. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also states that “All humans are born free and equal in dignity and in rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood” (United Nations, 1948, Article 1). Human beings are capable of making decisions regarding their own life and in the spirit of brotherhood it is unfair for another human being to expect a patient from experiencing pain and a loss of the quality of life, this is not only our responsibility as humans but also a basic human right. Euthanasia is currently a criminal act however …show more content…
As stated in the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, p 1). It is an Australian’s responsibility to offer this same dignity to those who are dying and to not expect them to experience the loss of quality of life and an undignified death. It is not fair to deny someone the right to die. The Northern Territory passed a law on the 1st of July 1996 which allowed voluntary euthanasia and this was in place for a few years before it was abolished. During the time the law was in place four terminally ill patients chose to end their lives. One women, a lady from Sydney in her 80’s was not suffering from pain but felt that she had lost the quality of what life was for her. She claimed that even though she was not physically suffering that lying around all day waiting to die was not her idea of living and that she would rather die than endure (Nitschke, 2001). The first man who tried to make first use of the law was denied his opportunity to die in a dignified way and spent the last few cruel months of his life in immense pain, his quality of life reduced almost to nothing (Nitschke, 2001). It is through these examples that we can
Euthanasia in Australia is illegal however this violates our basic rights as humans. Choosing to die supports an Australian’s basic human rights and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Euthanasia gives humans the opportunity to die with dignity and alleviates any unnecessary suffering. Assisted suicide is already a widespread practice therefore, it is better to have it legalised and regulated so that the people involved can receive the counselling and support needed during what is already a difficult time. This approach works for both the person intending to die and also the families and friends close to the person. Some religious Australians see all assisted death as a state sanctioning killing and …show more content…
Many also point out that “Advocates of euthanasia argue that a patient has the right to make the decision about when and how they should die, based on the principles of autonomy and self-determination” (Ebrahimi, N, 2012, p 74). At its core, this means that human beings have the right to make decisions in regards to their own life as long as they are not harming another and this completely supports voluntary euthanasia. It is argued that each person is in charge of their own destiny and should be able to choose whether or not they wish to continue to live as a terminally ill patient or to have their life ended in a painless way. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also states that “All humans are born free and equal in dignity and in rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood” (United Nations, 1948, Article 1). Human beings are capable of making decisions regarding their own life and in the spirit of brotherhood it is unfair for another human being to expect a patient from experiencing pain and a loss of the quality of life, this is not only our responsibility as humans but also a basic human right. Euthanasia is currently a criminal act however …show more content…
As stated in the preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, p 1). It is an Australian’s responsibility to offer this same dignity to those who are dying and to not expect them to experience the loss of quality of life and an undignified death. It is not fair to deny someone the right to die. The Northern Territory passed a law on the 1st of July 1996 which allowed voluntary euthanasia and this was in place for a few years before it was abolished. During the time the law was in place four terminally ill patients chose to end their lives. One women, a lady from Sydney in her 80’s was not suffering from pain but felt that she had lost the quality of what life was for her. She claimed that even though she was not physically suffering that lying around all day waiting to die was not her idea of living and that she would rather die than endure (Nitschke, 2001). The first man who tried to make first use of the law was denied his opportunity to die in a dignified way and spent the last few cruel months of his life in immense pain, his quality of life reduced almost to nothing (Nitschke, 2001). It is through these examples that we can