New Zealand’s ‘degrading’ abortion ban breaches human rights, say activists

New Zealand's 'degrading' abortion ban breaches human rights, say activists
Advocacy group lays discrimination complaint with country’s rights commission over criminalisation of terminations

Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin
Mon 8 Oct 2018

An abortion advocacy group in New Zealand has laid a discrimination complaint alleging New Zealand’s strict abortion laws breach the human rights of pregnant people, and subject them to “ritual humiliation”.

As experts prepare to hand down a major review into the country’s controversial abortion laws later this month, ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa has teamed up with five women who have experienced difficulties and emotional pain in accessing abortions in bringing their complaint to the country’s human rights commission.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/08/new-zealands-degrading-abortion-ban-breaches-human-rights-say-activists


New Zealand – Abortion rights group brings complaint to Human Rights Group over ‘discriminatory’ laws

Abortion rights group brings complaint to Human Rights Group over 'discriminatory' laws
Sun, Oct 7

Abortion Rights Aotearoa (ALRANZ) has lodged a complaint to the Human Rights Commission over New Zealand's Abortion laws.

The group said last night in a statement that it believes New Zealand's abortion law discriminates against women and pregnant people on the basis of sex.

Continued: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/abortion-rights-group-brings-complaint-human-over-discriminatory-laws


New Zealand – Both sides of abortion debate meet at Parliament

Both sides of abortion debate meet at Parliament
25 Jul, 2018

Both sides of the abortion debate met on Parliament's front lawn today in an orderly demonstration of free speech.

The Voice for Life pro-life group laid out 13,285 pairs of baby booties on the lawn to represent the number of foetuses aborted in 2017.

Voice for Life national president Jacqui de Ruiter said the group decided to create the graphic display following the release of the latest abortion figures to illustrate how many potential lives were lost through abortion.

Continued: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12095065


New Zealand: Abortion Rights Aotearoa releases diagram that shows complexity of accessing an abortion

Abortion Rights Aotearoa releases diagram that shows complexity of accessing an abortion
22 Mar, 2018

A woman seeking an abortion in New Zealand has to jump through around a dozen hoops to get the procedure.

This is compared to some states in America where it is a one-step process.

The Abortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand has published two diagrams of the processes side by side to show how difficult it is for Kiwi women.

Continued: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12018139


New Zealand: Kiwi women seeking abortions ‘have to basically lie and say they’re mentally ill’

Kiwi women seeking abortions 'have to basically lie and say they're mentally ill'
Sun, Mar 12, 2017

The Prime Minister today again downplayed the impact of his stance against changing New Zealand's abortion laws.

Bill English maintained his vote was one among many when it came to the parliament conscience vote when speaking on this morning's Breakfast programme.

"My view on that isn't that relevant actually," he said, before host Jack Tame called him out on it.

Continued at source: TVNZ: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/watch-kiwi-women-seeking-abortions-have-basically-lie-and-say-theyre-mentally-ill


New Zealand: Abortion – it’s time to decriminalise

Abortion – it’s time to decriminalise
February 9, 2017
Jan Logie

Last Friday the Abortion Supervisory Committee released their latest report calling for a review of the 40-year-old legislation which governs New Zealand’s abortion service.

Most people in Aotearoa think abortion is a health issue, not a justice issue. The reality that one in four women in this country have had an abortion shows that many New Zealanders accept that having an abortion shouldn’t be a crime.

The Green Party supports the decriminalisation of abortion because we trust women to make decisions that are best for them and their whānau/family. We want to ensure equal access to all potential options are available to pregnant women.

Continued at source: The Greens Blog: https://blog.greens.org.nz/2017/02/09/abortion-time-decriminalise/


New Zealand: Call to ban Thames anti-abortion protests

1:30 pm on 16 October 2016

A stand off between those for and against abortion has led to a call to ban Voice for Life from protesting outside Thames Hospital in Coromandel.

For several years, the anti-abortion group has set up outside Thames Hospital on Friday mornings - the day when the hospital performs abortions.

But in August this year, they were joined by a counter protest by Stop Abortion Harassment Thames.

Abortion Rights Aotearoa national president Terry Bellamak was at a meeting where it was decided to protest against Voice for Life.

She went to the first protest on the same corner as the anti-abortion group in early August.

[continued at link]
Source: Radio New Zealand