Jump to content

World Federation of Right to Die Societies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The World Federation of Right to Die Societies is an international federation of associations that promote access to voluntary euthanasia. It holds regular international meetings on dying and death.

The World Federation, founded in 1980, consists of 45 right to die organizations from 25 countries. The Federation provides an international link for organizations working to secure or protect the rights of individuals to self-determination at the end of their lives.

World Right to Die Day

[edit]

World Right to Die Day is celebrated November 2[1] in countries such as France, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, and Venezuela. The celebration was founded in France at the World Federation Conference in 2008 and has since spread. The participating countries vary in their customs of celebration. This day also falls within the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico and is represented in the bigger cities as part of their celebration.

Controversy

[edit]

Cases of people choosing assisted suicide programs have been met with some controversy in the media and public. One famous case is that of Brittany Maynard. She was diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer and chose to end her life, but before doing so, she chose to speak out about her situation and her choice, thus opening up the debate about the right-to-die movement in America.[2]

Controversy also lies in issues regarding whether or not the right to die should be granted to those who are in a minimally conscious state (MCS).[3] MCS refers to people who have suffered neurological damage and will never fully recover, but still have some awareness.

Groups such as Not Dead Yet fight against the movement to legalize and promote the right to die. They worry that if euthanasia is legalized, seniors and people with disabilities will be pressured against their will into accepting it.[4]

Additionally, controversy has also surfaced amongst right-to-die societies themselves. For example, the well-known organization in the worldwide movement Exit International[5] publisher of the Peaceful Pill Handbook, was granted admission to the World Federation by 2018 but not without some opposition. Within just a few years it had decided not to renew its membership. Tensions appear to lie between societies that advance all options to a reliable, peaceful and painless death such as Exit International, Final Exit Network in the US, and Right to Die Society Canada for example, and most other member societies that only advocate for a medical model regulated by legislation with restrictive eligibility criteria. In keeping with the declared human right that all should have access to assisted dying, the former argue for greater inclusiveness of all persons seeking this remedy even if not gravely ill, while also noting the limitations and exclusions under limited medical assistance (MAID) or physician-assisted dying (PAD) in all jurisdictions where it has evolved. Persons preferring not to involve doctors and other professionals in this personal, final act should similarly not be denied knowledge and support without threats of criminal prosecution. [6][7][8]

Member Organizations

[edit]

Africa

[edit]

Asia

[edit]
  • Japan: Japan Society for Dying with Dignity (JSDD)

Europe

[edit]
  • Belgium: Association pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité (ADMD-B)
  • Belgium: R.W.S. vzw (Recht op Waardig Sterven vzw)
  • Denmark: Landsforeningen En Værdig Død
  • Europe: Right to Die Europe, RtD-E
  • Finland: EXITUS ry
  • France: Association pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité (ADMD-F)
  • France: Le Choix, Citoyens pour une mort choisie
  • France: AAVIVRE
  • Germany: Dignitas (Sektion Deutschland) e.V. DIGNITATE, DGHS e.V.
  • Ireland: End of Life Ireland
  • Italy: EXIT - Italia
  • Italy: Libera Uscita
  • Luxembourg: Association pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité (ADMD-L)
  • Netherlands: De Einder
  • Netherlands: NVVE, Right to Die - NL
  • Norway: Foreningen Retten til en Verdig Død
  • Scotland: Friends at the End (FATE)
  • Spain: Asociación Federal Derecho a Morir Dignamente (AFDMD)
  • Sweden: Rätten Till en Värdig Död (RTVD)
  • Switzerland: Dignitas
  • Switzerland: EXIT Association pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité (Suisse Romande)
  • Switzerland: EXIT-Deutsche Schweiz
  • Switzerland: Lifecircle
  • United Kingdom: My Death My Decision

North America

[edit]
  • Canada: Association Québécoise pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité (AQDMD)[9]
  • Canada: Dying with Dignity (DWDC)[10]
  • Canada: Farewell Foundation (retired in Oct 2016, restoration in progress in 2024)[11]
  • Canada: Right to Die Society of Canada[12]
  • United States: AUTONOMY
  • United States: Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization (ERGO)
  • United States: Final Exit Network
  • United States: Hemlock Society of Florida, Inc
  • United States: Hemlock Society of San Diego

Oceania

[edit]
  • Australia: Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Euthanasia
  • Australia: Dying with Dignity NSW
  • Australia: Dying with Dignity Queensland
  • Australia: Dying With Dignity Tasmania (Inc.)
  • Australia: Dying With Dignity Victoria
  • Australia: Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society
  • Australia: South Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society
  • Australia: Dying With Dignity Western Australia(Inc)
  • New Zealand: End-of-Life Choice Society of New Zealand Inc

South America

[edit]
  • Colombia: Fundacion Pro Derecho a Morir Dignamente (DMD Colombia)
  • Venezuela: Derecho a Morir con Dignidad (DMD Venezuela)

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2 November World Right to Die Day". Archived from the original on 2016-11-09.
  2. ^ Stockenström, T. (22 December 2014). "Is Dying a Pro-Choice Issue?". TheHumanist.com.
  3. ^ Johnson, L. S. M. (1 March 2011). "The right to die in the minimally conscious state". Journal of Medical Ethics. 37 (3): 175–178. doi:10.1136/jme.2010.038877. JSTOR 23034669. PMID 21084355. S2CID 9594783.
  4. ^ "Disability Groups Opposed to Assisted Suicide Laws". Not Dead Yet. 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  5. ^ "Exit International - Exit International provide Information and guidance on assisted suicide and end of life matters - Dr Philip Nitschke". Exit International. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  6. ^ Engelhart, K. The Inevitable: Dispatches on The Right to Die, 2021. St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y.
  7. ^ Dankwort, J. Collabartion and research imperatives for a growing right-to-die movement. Canadian Journal of Public Health https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-023-00755-8 March 2023
  8. ^ Gandsman, A. (2018b). “Old Age Is Cruel”: The Right to Die as an Ethics for Living. Australian Journal of Anthropology, 29, 209–221
  9. ^ "AQDMD | Accueil". AQDMD (in French). Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  10. ^ "Dying With Dignity Canada | It's your life. It's your choice". Dying With Dignity Canada. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  11. ^ "Farewell Foundation for the Right to Die | IVSI". Retrieved 2024-11-25.
  12. ^ "Right to Die Society of Canada". www.righttodie.ca. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=World_Federation_of_Right_to_Die_Societies&oldid=1261236676"