Sinn Fein proposes tightening NI abortion legislation over non-fatal disability

SF proposes tightening NI abortion legislation over non-fatal disability
Alliance for Choice says SF move would mean still having to travel for terminations for foetal anomaly diagnoses

Sun, May 31, 2020
Gerry Moriarty

Sinn Féin has indicated a willingness to see some alteration of the new abortion legislation for Northern Ireland that was enacted at Westminster and came into effect at the end of March.

The party has tabled an amendment to a DUP motion on abortion, some of which relates to Down syndrome, that is to be debated in the Northern Assembly on Tuesday.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/sf-proposes-tightening-ni-abortion-legislation-over-non-fatal-disability-1.4267082


Bombay HC allows 23-week pregnant minor to undergo abortion

Bombay HC allows 23-week pregnant minor to undergo abortion
The court on May 22 had directed the hospital medical board to assess whether the 13-year-old girl can undergo medical termination of pregnancy without being subject to any health risks.

By: Express News Service | Mumbai
Published: May 31, 2020

A division bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Nitin R Borkar was hearing a plea filed by the minor’s mother, who alleged that her daughter, while residing with her aunt in Thane, was sexually abused by her father, resulting in the pregnancy.

After examining an assessment report submitted by the JJ hospital medical board, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed a 13-year-old, in 23rd week of pregnancy, to undergo abortion. She was allegedly raped by her father.

Continued: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bombay-hc-allows-23-week-pregnant-minor-to-undergo-abortion-6435157/


COVID-19 exposed how women continue to be ‘disproportionately affected in society’

COVID-19 exposed how women continue to be 'disproportionately affected in society'

Giulia Magri
Sunday, 31 May 2020

The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted, both locally and on a global scale, how women continue to be disproportionately affected; whether with regard to violence, losing their jobs, or not gaining full accessibility to the contraceptive pill, women’s rights activist and lawyer Lara Dimitrijevic told The Malta Independent on Sunday.

“In the ideal post-COVID-19 reality, authorities need to stop throwing the word equality around. Policymakers need to truly see how women are being affected and ensure that the required change takes place. We need to be practical and listen to one another if we genuinely want to reach equality. Women are suffering and I believe that sexual reproductive rights are an integral part of women’s rights and we need to acknowledge that.”

Continued: https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2020-05-31/local-news/COVID-19-exposed-how-women-continue-to-be-disproportionately-affected-in-society-6736223695


Ob-Gyn teaching hospitals often restrict abortion beyond state law

Ob-Gyn teaching hospitals often restrict abortion beyond state law

May 31, 2020
Bixby Centre for Global Reproductive Health

Many women, especially those with complex medical needs, often rely on hospital-based abortions. Obstetrics and gynecology residency programs are required to provide access to abortion training but graduates frequently report that hospital policies interfere with their training. These facility-level abortion restrictions can affect both patient care and clinician instruction in teaching hospital settings.

ANSIRH researchers conducted a national survey of 169 OB-GYN teaching hospitals and found that the majority (57%) of residency training program directors reported that their facility had some sort of written or unwritten policy that restricted abortion provision beyond what their state law allowed.

Continued: https://bixbycenter.ucsf.edu/news/ob-gyn-teaching-hospitals-often-restrict-abortion-beyond-state-law


What Norma McCorvey Believed Matters

What Norma McCorvey Believed Matters
The original plaintiff behind Roe v. Wade is more than just a symbol in the abortion rights debate.

Mary Ziegler, The Atlantic
May 31, 2020

Last weekend, FX premiered AKA Jane Roe, a documentary on Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade. Backers of the film touted its most explosive revelation—that McCorvey, Jane Roe herself, had converted to the anti-abortion cause only because she was getting paid. This news made waves, and the attention it received has raised, in turn, a bigger question: Why does it matter at all what she really thought about abortion?

The constitutional-law expert Michael Dorf has argued that it doesn’t—or at least that clashing social movements have blown its significance way out of proportion. He contends that when it comes to the ultimate fate of abortion rights, McCorvey’s beliefs matter very little.

Continued: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/05/why-norma-mccorvey-matters/612295/


Nigeria – ‘200 women died of illegal abortion in Bauchi’

‘200 women died of illegal abortion in Bauchi’

By Rauf Oyewole, Bauchi
30 May 2020

Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Rilwanu Mohammad has said that over 200 women of the state have lost their lives to abortion handled by quack medical practitioners.

Mohammed while briefing members of Bauchi State Public Health Media Network yesterday disclosed this, saying the deaths are caused by unplanned and unwanted pregnancies among women who consult quack medical workers. He said the investigation has not been concluded on the development but preliminary findings have shown that the number of deaths could go up by the end of the investigation.

Continued: https://guardian.ng/guardian-woman/200-women-died-of-illegal-abortion-in-bauchi/


USA – The Supreme Court Might Be About to Make It Nearly Impossible to Stop Anti-Abortion Laws

The Supreme Court Might Be About to Make It Nearly Impossible to Stop Anti-Abortion Laws
This case is the biggest abortion test of the Trump-era court.

by Carter Sherman
May 30 2020

The Supreme Court is expecting to rule in the coming weeks on the biggest abortion case of the Trump era.

Technically, the case asks whether Louisiana doctors must possess admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, a requirement that would force all but one clinic in the state to close. But Louisiana has also raised the stakes very, very high for the rest of the nation: If the Supreme Court sides with Louisiana, abortion providers may completely lose the right to sue on their patients’ behalf.

continued: https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/qj489v/the-supreme-court-might-be-about-to-make-it-nearly-impossible-to-stop-anti-abortion-laws


Bangladesh – Abortion – offence or a right?

Abortion – offence or a right?

Dr. Syeda Nasrin
May 30, 2020

Bangladesh does not recognise 'abortion' as a right rather considers the same as an offence under the garb of the term 'miscarriage'. Abortion indicates the intentional termination of pregnancy whereas miscarriage is the spontaneous or unplanned expulsion of a fetus from the womb. Keeping the distinction between 'abortion' and 'miscarriage' aside, this article discusses the legal landscape of Bangladesh regarding 'abortion' with a comparative analysis of USA, UK and India.

Section 312 of the Penal Code, 1860 provides that whoever voluntarily causes a pregnant woman to miscarry, shall, if such miscarriage be not caused in good faith for the purpose of saving the life of the woman, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or both.

Continued: https://www.thedailystar.net/law-our-rights/news/abortion-offence-or-right-1906414


India – Abortion During Pandemic: Whose Crime Is It Anyway?

Abortion During Pandemic: Whose Crime Is It Anyway?

This article has been collectively written by members of NGOs working on safe abortion advocacy.
May 30, 2020

On 12th May 2020, mainstream newspapers reported that an abortion pill overdose allegedly resulted in a woman’s death in Mumbai. Her husband, in-laws, family doctor, husband’s friend and the medical representative who supplied the pills have all been booked under Section 314 of the Indian Penal Code as well as Sections 4 and 5(2) of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. While the police were prompt in responding to the complaint of foul play, the news items raise some questions about the process of investigation, reporting as well as the restrictions on pregnant persons’ access to the healthcare services they need, especially in the context of the current pandemic crisis.

To begin with, it is not clear from the report how the conclusion about “overdose” of medical abortion pills was reached. Autopsy reports usually indicate the cause of death in terms of the complication or physical condition which led to death; in this case it was excessive bleeding. The reports do not mention whether the autopsy was followed by further investigations that suggested drug overdose. Moreover, there is no mention of whether the woman’s medical history was explored to rule out any other contributing cause or complication.

Continued: https://feminisminindia.com/2020/05/30/abortion-whose-crime-anyway/


Missouri’s last abortion clinic will stay open after ruling ends contentious year-long legal battle

Missouri’s last abortion clinic will stay open after ruling ends contentious year-long legal battle

By Reis Thebault and Emily Wax-Thibodeaux
May 29, 2020

Missouri has narrowly avoided a return to a time before Roe v. Wade after an independent arbiter ruled that its last operating abortion clinic can continue offering the procedure.

After a year-long legal battle that pitted allegations of grave violations against accusations of regulatory overreach, the Planned Parenthood in St. Louis won a rare victory in a state that has become increasingly hostile to abortion rights.

Continued: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/29/ruling-saves-missouri-abortion-clinic/