The New Zealand government may be pushing for legalized abortion, but pro-life activists are fighting back.

On July 25, pro-life activists covered Parliament’s lawn with 13,285 baby booties in remembrance of all of the lives lost to abortion in the country over the last year.

Photo: Anna Bracewell-Worrall/Newshub

The demonstration was done to “show the public and Parliament that we are really concerned about the lives lost and there there must be a better way. Abortion should not be an option,” according to Voice for Life President Jacqui de Ruiter.

Thousands of people all over New Zealand knitted the booties in order to make the display possible, showing the overwhelming support for life. In fact, they ended up collecting more booties than they even expected, having 15,638 donated.

“Each pair of booties symbolizes little human boys and girls who are vulnerable and need love and protection,” the Voice for Life President explained.

After the display, 121 pairs of booties were sent to members of Parliament with a card asking them to remember the lives lost along with a reminder 18% of pregnancies ended in abortion last year; and one pair was specifically sent to Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft. The remaining booties were donated to pregnancy centers and maternity clinics throughout the country.

Abortion is currently illegal in New Zealand except when two certifying doctors state continuing the pregnancy would result in serious danger to a woman’s physical or mental health, risk of severe handicap of the child or if the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest.

Earlier this year, the New Zealand government asked the Law Commission to consider removing abortion from the Crimes Act of 1961 and instead make it a health issue.

The Law Commission is set to review the request and report back by the end of the year, so we hope this demonstration will change hearts and minds before a decision is made.

Elanie Borger, the organizer of the Buttons Project, which seeks to help post-abortive women find healing told the NZ Catholic,

“The true measure of success will be if the consciousness of New Zealand is awakened. Success will be if the tides are turned and babies are saved . . . if it solidified people’s stance for the value of life,” she said.