This article analyses the legal and ethical dimensions of the wide gap between commitments to universal human rights and the reality of their widespread and systematic abuse, particularly as related to poverty and inequality. The argument put forward is that, properly conceived, global legalism, that is, the quest to apply the rule of law across and among states and societies, and cosmopolitan ethics, both support restricting harms imposed on weak and vulnerable individuals worldwide by an unjust institutional order. Therefore, those (...) who have tended to value either a global rule of law or cosmopolitan ethics independently have good reason to pursue their requirements together. The article also considers the problem of legalism and cosmopolitanism being used by powerful agents in global politics to enhance their prerogatives and their freedoms from legal and ethical restraints. (shrink)

The rapid development of medical science and technology without attention to ethical values has raised moral issues in the field of obstetrics. Medical professions have found themselves in a dilemma because they all geared for the mastery of knowledge and skills in diagnosis and scientific decision-making, but lack the skills needed for ethical assessment. Formal education and training in ethical assessment is needed to help make medical decisions that can be justified. This paper intends to describe a new approach in (...) improving the quality of medical practice in obstetric care based on competence in bioethics and clinical Ethics in accordance with the demand of society in developing countries. Ethics should be observed by every physician as indicated in the “Preamble of Indonesian Code of Medical Ethics”. It includes values such as purity of intention, generosity, humility, sincerity in work, scientific and social integrity, and amity among physicians. Ethics is related to legal aspects, and the two are complementary for achieving good practice in medicine. Obstetric care decisions cannot rely on a single approach; several alternative approaches including feminist ethics and bioethical principles should always be considered in medical decision-making. Consultation with experts in the field or a hospital ethics committee can also be helpful. Therefore no good ethical decision can be made without ethical guidance. (shrink)