Doctors For Life has challenged the Office of the Commissioner for Children to take an unequivocal stand to protect the unborn child, saying that recent reports indicate that the current position might be “wavering”.

The Commissioner for Children’s chief function, according to the law, is to “promote special care and protection, including adequate legal protection, for children both before and after birth”.

LovinMalta recently reported that the Commissioner had tentatively given a green light for the government to adopt the UN’s recommendations for adolescent girls to have safe access to abortion and post-abortion services.

Doctors For Life said in a statement that, since human life begins at fertilisation, the pre-born child was deserving of the full protection of the law.

"This is clearly the case here in Malta. It is our intention to ensure that this continues to be so.  Doctors For Life therefore expects the Commissioner to fulfill her statutory role and unambiguously state her position in defense of the life of the pre-born child," the statement said.

Doctors for Life incorporating 670 doctors, was set up in reaction to a pro-choice group last month, called Doctors for Choice.