Date set for Ireland’s abortion referendum

Date set for Ireland’s abortion referendum

by Xavier Symons
24 Feb 2018

Ireland will go to the polls on May 25 to vote on the country’s constitutional ban on abortion, as both pro-life and pro-choice organisations intensify their campaigning.

Earlier this week health minister Simon Harris was given approval to draft a bill that would delete the controversial 8th constitutional amendment, and replace it with a new article enabling the parliament to regulate abortion services in Ireland.

Continued: https://www.bioedge.org/bioethics/date-set-for-irelands-abortion-referendum/12609

24.02.2018

pro-choice campaigners

Simon Harris

Sorcha Uí Chonnachtaigh

YouTube Censorship: safe2choose account is suspended for promoting safe abortion information and access

YouTube Censorship: safe2choose account is suspended for promoting safe abortion information and access

23rd February, 2018

One month since YouTube arbitrarily suspended the accounts of leading pro-choice organizations (only to go back on its decision a few days later), the social media platform has targeted another reproductive rights advocate: safe2choose, a social enterprise that connects women all around the world to accurate information and quality, affordable safe abortion pills.

YouTube claims that safe2choose is violating their guidelines by generating content that allegedly “encourages or promotes violent or dangerous acts that have an inherent risk of serious physical harm or death” (read more about YouTube policies here). And they’ve already denied our appeal.

Continued: https://safe2choose.org/youtube-censorship-safe2choose/

CYPRUS – Hide the abortions and then prosecute the doctors who provide them

CYPRUS – Hide the abortions and then prosecute the doctors who provide them

by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
Feb 23, 2018

In Cyprus, the criminal code was amended in 1986 to permit abortion, if two doctors agree, in cases of risk to the woman’s life or health, or serious fetal anomaly, and with police certification also in cases of rape. The law does not specify a time limit, but in the north of Cyprus the limit is 10 weeks. There are many private clinics providing abortion on the island, charging 600€ on average (median income in Cyprus is ± 1,170 € per month).

In July 2016, an “abortion scandal” made the news when two doctors and later four other doctors were all indicted for carrying out abortions over ten weeks of pregnancy, including one said to have been at 34 weeks of pregnancy. Many of their patients were Turkish women who travelled from Turkey to Cyprus.

Continued: http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/cyprus-hide-the-abortions-and-then-prosecute-the-doctors-who-provide-them/

23.02.2018

Featured

News

Anastasia Papadopoulou

Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies

Orthodox Church

prosecuting health providers

ARGENTINA – Macri gives a green light to open the debate on abortion law reform

by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
Feb 23, 2018

In 2016, 46 women died from unsafe, illegal abortions in Argentina. All of them could have been avoided. Mauricio Macri, President of Argentina, is against abortion, but all around him there is a very strong movement and a new generation that are pushing for Argentina to become a leader in the region on abortion law reform, as they were with gay marriage. The abortion rights movement in Argentina seeks to go well beyond Chile and calls for a law that allows abortion on request in the first 14 weeks.

In the Congress, where resistance to change and the pressures of the Catholic church still have weight, the pressure is growing every day. Last weekend it exploded in a cheerful and organised manner in front of the Congress building and on social media with the slogan #AbortoLegalYa (Legal abortion already!) that gained the support of many famous politicians and journalists, a senior judge, a TV star and some important members of the Government.

Continued: http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/argentina-macri-gives-a-green-light-to-open-the-debate-on-abortion-law-reform/

23.02.2018

Campaign for the Right to Legal Safe and Free Abortion

Campaña por el Derecho al Aborto Legal

The situation in Northern Ireland constitutes violence against women – CEDAW Inquiry

The situation in Northern Ireland constitutes violence against women - CEDAW Inquiry
Feb 23, 2018

CEDAW Finds Human Rights Breaches by UK Government
Report on inquiry welcomed by Alliance for Choice

The UK violates the rights of women in Northern Ireland by unduly restricting their access to abortion, a UN expert committee has found.

Alliance for Choice are interested to note that the CEDAW Inquiry report has been published today. Emma Campbell Co-Chair says,
"We want to make humble thanks to the incredible women who bravely gave their testimonies to the CEDAW committee. Alliance for Choice, along with the Family Planning Association and NIWEP, feel vindicated in the report's findings on the many Human Rights breaches occurring daily due to the political lack of will in both Stormont and Westminster. We hope that the UK government will now recognise its responsibility to women in NI and legislate to implement the Committee's recommendations.

Continued: http://www.alliance4choice.com/news/2018/2/the-situation-in-northern-ireland-constitutes-violence-against-women-cedaw-inquiry

Abortion: UK ‘breaches NI’s women’s rights’

Abortion: UK 'breaches NI's women's rights'

By Catherine Smyth Health producer, BBC News NI
23 February 2018

The UK breaches the rights of women in Northern Ireland by unduly restricting their access to abortion, a UN Committee has found.

"Denial of abortion and criminalisation of abortion amounts to discrimination against women because it is a denial of a service that only women need," said the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Continued: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-43167255

Scottish Labour MSP withdraws invitation to US academic

Scottish Labour MSP withdraws invitation to US academic
Prof Priscilla Coleman authored highly criticised study into link between abortion and anxiety

Libby Brooks
Fri 23 Feb 2018

A Scottish Labour MSP has withdrawn her invitation to speak at the Holyrood parliament from an academic who has linked abortion to mental health issues after fellow MSPs raised concerns about the event.

Elaine Smith, Scottish Labour’s spokesperson on poverty and inequality, invited colleagues to a meeting titled Abortion in Scotland: a solution or a problem? at which US professor Priscilla Coleman had been asked to speak. Coleman was the author of study that looked at the link between abortion and anxiety, mood and substance abuse disorders, which has been heavily criticised.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/23/scottish-labour-msp-withdraws-invitation-priscilla-coleman-abortion

Costa Rica – Therapeutic abortion, part II: paper vs. practice

Therapeutic abortion, part II: paper vs. practice

Paula Umaña
February 22, 2018

Because of a lack of knowledge and fear of legal consequences, health care professionals in Costa Rica often bolster obstacles to pregnancy interruption in Costa Rica, even though the practice is legal when it is carried out to protect the health of the mother.

In one case studied by Semanario Universidad, a pregnant woman was hospitalized because of complications as a result of heart disease. Her life was in danger and her pregnancy had to be terminated. The patient’s discharge papers describe her treatment; however, the abortion wasn’t registered as such in the medical record. According to those records, she was treated for heart disease.

Continued: http://www.ticotimes.net/2018/02/22/therapeutic-abortion-part-ii-paper-vs-practice

22.02.2018

Commentary

Featured

Allan Varela

Article 121 of the Costa Rican Penal Code

INCIENSA

María Carranza

Research and Teaching Institute in Nutrition and Health

Germany: Pot, abortion and Deniz Yücel top marathon debate day in Bundestag

Germany: Pot, abortion and Deniz Yücel top marathon debate day in Bundestag
German MPs sat through a long day of debates covering issues from pot, to burqa bans, to abortion "advertisements," to journalist Deniz Yücel's work. DW breaks down what happened.

22.02.2018
Rebecca Staudenmaier

Decriminalizing abortion 'advertising'

What was proposed: The Greens and the Left party each proposed draft laws to repeal paragraph 219a of Germany's criminal code. The clause makes it a crime for anyone who publically "offers, announces [or] advertises" abortion services. Those who do so can be jailed for two years or face a fine.

The business-friendly, free-market liberal Free Democrats (FDP) recommended amending the clause so that it only penalizes abortion advertising "which is done in a roughly offensive manner."

Continued: http://www.dw.com/en/germany-pot-abortion-and-deniz-y%C3%BCcel-top-marathon-debate-day-in-bundestag/a-42704715

22.02.2018

Paragraph 219a German criminal code

Irish abortion referendum: Every vote counts in emotive poll

Irish abortion referendum: Every vote counts in emotive poll

By Shane Harrison, BBC NI Dublin correspondent
22 February 2018

It is a cold morning despite the sunshine, and snow lines the grotto behind the Catholic church at Granard, County Longford, in the Irish midlands.

It was here beneath the gaze of a statue of the Virgin Mary on a similar January day that Ann Lovett, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, died giving birth to a baby son.

She and her child died in 1984.

Continued: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43156726