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
The right to die is a concept based on the opinion that human beings are entitled to end their life or undergo voluntary euthanasia. Possession of this right is often understood that a person with a terminal illness, incurable pain, or without ...
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
World Right to Die Day is celebrated November 2 in countries such as
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, Italy, Mexico,
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, and
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
. 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
The Day of the Dead ( es, Día de Muertos or ''Día de los Muertos'') is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely obser ...
in Mexico and is represented in the bigger cities as part of their celebration.
Controversy
Cases of people choosing
assisted suicide programs has 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.
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). 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
Not Dead Yet (NDY) is a United States disability rights group that opposes assisted suicide and euthanasia for disabled people. Diane Coleman, JD, is the founder and president of this national group. Stephen Drake, a research analyst with NDY ...
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.
Additionally, controversy has also surfaced amongst right-to-die societies themselves. For example, the well-known organization in the worldwide movement
Exit International
Exit International is an international non-profit organisation advocating legalisation of voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. It was previously known as the ''Voluntary Euthanasia Research Foundation'' (VERF Inc.).
Exit International ...
(www.ExitInternational.net) 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 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 in dying (MAiD) 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.
[ Engelhart, Katie. The Inevitable: Dispatches on The Right to Die, 2021. St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y.]
Member Organizations
Africa
* South Africa
Dignity South Africa - Legalise Assisted Dying , my life ~ my choice* South Africa: SAVES - The Living Will Society
* Zimbabwe: Final Exit Zimbabwe
Asia
* Japan: Japan Society for Dying with Dignity (JSDD)
Europe
* 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)
* Germany: Dignitas (Sektion Deutschland) e.V. DIGNITATE, DGHS e.V.
* Ireland: Living Wills Trust (LWT)
* 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
My Death, My Decision (MDMD) is an organisation that campaigns for the legalisation of assisted dying in England and Wales. The group was founded in 2009, in order to campaign for a change in the law and advocate on behalf of adults of sound ...
North America
* Canada: Association Québécoise pour le Droit de Mourir dans la Dignité (AQDMD)
* Canada: Dying with Dignity
* Canada: Farewell Foundation (ceased to exist circa 2012)
*
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
: Right to Die Society of Canada
* 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
* 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
* Colombia: Fundacion Pro Derecho a Morir Dignamente (DMD Colombia)
* Venezuela: Derecho a Morir con Dignidad (DMD Venezuela)
See also
*
Final Exit book by Derek Humphry
*
Assisted suicide
*
Compassion & Choices (right-to-die organization)
*
Death with Dignity National Center
*
Dignity in Dying
Dignity in Dying (originally The Voluntary Euthanasia Legalisation Society) is a United Kingdom nationwide campaigning organisation. It is funded by voluntary contributions from members of the public, and as of December 2010, it claimed to hav ...
*
Dignitas
*
Exit
Exit(s) may refer to:
Architecture and engineering
* Door
* Portal (architecture), an opening in the walls of a structure
* Emergency exit
* Overwing exit, a type of emergency exit on an airplane
* Exit ramp, a feature of a road interchange
...
*
Final Exit Network
*
Exit International
Exit International is an international non-profit organisation advocating legalisation of voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. It was previously known as the ''Voluntary Euthanasia Research Foundation'' (VERF Inc.).
Exit International ...
*
My Death, My Decision
References
External links
Official siteRight to Die Europe
{{Authority control
Organizations established in 1980
International medical and health organizations
Euthanasia organizations