Women can wait up to a month to see an abortion provider in Queensland says doctor

November 28 2017
Amy Mitchell-Whittington

Women seeking abortions in regional Queensland after often marginalised and can face month-long waiting lists for an often unaffordable procedure that should be considered “essential healthcare”, a Brisbane-based abortion provider says.

Kalama Emanuel considers herself a “fly-in-fly-out worker” providing terminations to women in Rockhampton once a fortnight, where she said the wait-list can stretch to four weeks.

Continued at source: http://www.watoday.com.au/queensland/women-can-wait-up-to-a-month-to-see-an-abortion-provider-in-queensland-says-doctor-20171120-p4yx4d.html

South Korea Kicks Issue of Abortion Down the Road

South Korea Kicks Issue of Abortion Down the Road
Government Claims Research Needed, So Women’s Rights Must Wait

November 28, 2017
Heather Barr, Senior Researcher, Women's Rights Division heatherbarr1

A woman holds a sign at a pro-choice rally at the Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul on August 31, 2010. © 2010 Left 21
Women in South Korea are demanding an immediate end to the country’s restrictive anti-abortion laws, but so far the government isn’t listening. President Moon Jae-In pledged in August his government would publicly respond to any petition posted to the government’s website that received more than 200,000 signatures within one month. In late October, a petition calling for legalization of abortion passed that threshold.

On November 26, the government responded by buying time.

Continued at source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/11/28/south-korea-kicks-issue-abortion-down-road

28.11.2017

President Moon Jae-in

UK: Men can now buy Viagra over the counter – but women can’t take an abortion pill from a doctor at home

Men can now buy Viagra over the counter – but women can't take an abortion pill from a doctor at home
A spokesperson from the MHRA was quoted as saying they were glad of the change because it would prevent men from buying unregulated pills illegally on the internet. This is the same agency that does week-long raids every year on abortion pills

Holly Baxter
Tuesday 28 November 2017

Great news for Britain: men with erectile dysfunction can now buy Viagra over the counter, so long as a pharmacist agrees. What a fantastic coup this is for a country which has such a huge commitment to reproductive health – huge enough that our rates of death in childbirth still lag far behind many of our European counterparts, including Poland, Belarus and Greece. Huge enough that we still haven’t fully decriminalised abortion despite the recommendations of GPs, gynaecologists and the British Medical Association. Huge enough that Northern Irish women still can’t access abortion where they live (except in certain, extremely restrictive circumstances), and only won the right to access free abortion services in England this year. Doesn’t it feel great to live in real civilisation?

Continued at source: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/viagra-buy-over-counter-abortion-pill-men-women-compared-a8080851.html

UK: Supreme Court judge disagreed with abortion ruling

Supreme Court judge disagreed with abortion ruling

By Vincent Kearney, BBC News NI Home Affairs Correspondent
27 November 2017

The president of the UK's highest court has said she disagreed with its decision to reject an appeal for women from Northern Ireland to receive free abortions on the NHS in England.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal from a mother and daughter by a narrow majority.

One of those who dissented was Lady Hale, the president of the court.

Continued at source: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-42135034

27.11.2017

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Academic Armchair: Vulva la resistance: Dublin’s sixth march for choice

Academic Armchair: Vulva la resistance: Dublin’s sixth march for choice
Nov 27, 2017
by Devin Thomas

In this week’s edition of the Academic Armchair we talked with Ben Kasstan, Research Fellow in Social Anthropology at Sussex, about a recent article written for Huffington Post, as well as a follow-up blog post for Sussex’s Centre for Cultures of Reproduction, Technologies & Health. Presenting his opinions on the importance of the upcoming 2018 vote over women’s reproductive rights and the protesters on both sides of the issue, Ben explores the context and potential outcomes of the referendum in his article. We talked with him to see why Sussex students should care as much about the issue as he does…

Ben mentions in his article that young voters made up the majority of pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators he saw while in Ireland.

We kicked off our interview by asking him why he feels young people are so active regarding this issue on both sides, and what this might mean.

Continued at source: http://thebadgeronline.com/2017/11/academic-armchair-vulva-la-resistance-dublins-sixth-march-choice/

No exceptions for health and rights: Women’s movements hold the key to get the world we want

No exceptions for health and rights: Women’s movements hold the key to get the world we want
November 26, 2017
Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO, Global Fund for Women

In today’s world, women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights are being attacked and rolled back by those in positions of power. Take the Mexico City Policy, or Global Gag Rule, for instance, which has been expanded by the U.S. administration. It cuts off billions of dollars in funding for critical health services around the world like access to contraception or STD screenings.

However, women have never been known to sit and wait for change to happen. And while rollbacks threaten women’s health and rights each day, grassroots women’s groups and movements around the world are working to ensure that women and girls not only have access to critical health services that they need in their own communities, but understand their bodies, are aware of their rights and how to access them, and are safe from violence and discrimination.

Continued at source: http://www.thedailystar.net/women-action/no-exceptions-health-and-rights-womens-movements-hold-the-key-get-the-world-we-want

26.11.2017

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S. Korean gov’t promises to engage actively in debate on abortion

S. Korean gov't promises to engage actively in debate on abortion
By Yonhap

Published : Nov 26, 2017

South Korea's government on Sunday promised to give more active consideration to growing public demand to permit artificial abortion.

The presidential office released its position toward a petition, posted on its homepage, whose signatories exceeded 200,000 in late October.

Cho Kuk, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, said the government will resume a survey on abortion next year and will make efforts to promote public debate to resolve the dispute.

Continued at source: http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20171126000264

26.11.2017

South Korea May Overturn Longstanding Abortion Ban

South Korea May Overturn Longstanding Abortion Ban
Grace Carr
11/26/2017

South Korea has long prohibited women from having abortions, but the government may repeal the ban and announced Sunday that it will begin a thorough review of the nation’s abortion policies.

The Sunday announcement from the president’s office comes in response to a petition from a group of South Koreans calling on President Moon Jae-in to amend the law and allow abortions, according to The Economist. “Unwanted pregnancy is a tragedy for all, including the woman, the unborn child and the country,” the petition reads, asking the government to approve the mifepristone abortion pill, which is available in other countries like the United States.

Continued at source: http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/26/south-korea-may-overturn-longstanding-abortion-ban/

26.11.2017

South Korea to review whether or not to abolish anti-abortion law

South Korea to review whether or not to abolish anti-abortion law

Reuters Staff
Nov 26, 2017

SEOUL (Reuters) - The South Korean president’s office said on Sunday that it will begin a review on the country’s 64-year-old law to ban abortion.

The announcement came after more than 230,000 South Koreans filed a petition calling for the abolishment of the law.

South Korea criminalized abortion in 1953 when its leaders wanted to boost the population and build an army powerful enough to fend off its rival North Korea.

Continued at source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-abortion/south-korea-to-review-whether-or-not-to-abolish-anti-abortion-law-idUSKBN1DQ0C9?il=0

26.11.2017

UK: New powers to stop campaigners intimidating abortion-clinic patients considered by Government

New powers to stop campaigners intimidating abortion-clinic patients considered by Government

More than 110 MPs wrote to the Home Secretary urging her to consider ‘buffer zones’ around clinics, banning praying, silent vigils and brandishing of pictures of foetuses

Lizzy Buchan Political Correspondent
Nov 26, 2017

New powers are being considered to protect women seeking abortions from intimidation and harassment by demonstrators outside clinics, Amber Rudd has announced.

Anti-abortion campaigners have been known to confront women outside family planning facilities with pictures of foetuses and to host “abortion vigils” where they pray for people to change their minds on seeking a termination.

Continued at source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/amber-rudd-abortion-clinics-ealing-marie-stopes-bpas-labour-rupa-huq-pro-life-a8076431.html