European leaders decry US restriction of abortion rights

US Supreme Court ruling adds to sense that America is out of step with other modern democracies.

BY DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
June 25, 2022

European leaders are voicing dismay and outrage about the U.S. Supreme Court decision stripping the legal right for women to obtain an abortion.

“Making abortions illegal isn’t pro-life. It’s anti-choice,” Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel tweeted. “It’s a social & economic injustice. And just so, so wrong. Reproductive rights are not just women’s rights. They are human rights. So let’s all stand up for them.”

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-leaders-decry-us-restriction-abortion-rights-supreme-court/

25.06.2022

UK – No10 ‘culture clash’ over DIY abortion pills

Sajid Javid's plans to end controversial 'pills by post' policy introduced during the Covid pandemic could be made permanent

By Gabriella Swerling and Edward Malnick, The Telegraph
19 February 2022

The temporary ‘DIY abortion’ system could be made permanent, The Telegraph can disclose, amid a “culture clash” of beliefs in Government.

No10 aides are understood to be pushing to continue the ‘pills by post’ system introduced during the pandemic, which allows women in the first nine weeks and six days of pregnancy to be sent two abortion tablets after a telephone or video consultation.

Continued: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/02/19/no10-culture-clash-diy-abortion/

‘A perilous future’: UK aid budget cuts will ‘cause’ 23,500 maternal deaths

Exclusive: Cuts will leave extra 6.5 million people unable to get contraception

Maya Oppenheim, Women’s Correspondent
June 7, 2021

The UK’s cuts to the aid budget will result in 23,500 women dying while pregnant, during childbirth or from unsafe abortions which go wrong, experts have warned.

MSI Reproductive Choices, a leading reproductive health charity, estimates the maternal deaths will be the result of cuts to its services, leaving an extra 6.5 million people in the most “marginalised, remote” areas not able to get the contraception they “desperately” require.

Continued: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-aid-budget-cuts-maternal-deaths-b1861066.html

UK accused of ‘Trump tactics’ after ‘devastating’ £131m cut to family planning aid

Millions of the world’s poorest women and girls will ‘pay the price’ of the UK government reneging on its commitments, say aid workers

Kerry Cullinan
30 April 2021

The UK government has been accused of “using tactics reminiscent of the Trump era” after cutting millions in aid for family planning.

Boris Johnson’s government is set to slash its commitment to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) by 85% – from an expected contribution of £154m to just £23m – in an enormous blow for women and girls in the poorest countries where health services have already been decimated by COVID-19.

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/uk-accused-of-trump-tactics-after-devastating-131m-cut-to-family-planning-aid/

Northern Ireland Is About to Reform Its Abortion Law – Now What?

Northern Ireland Is About to Reform Its Abortion Law – Now What?
If its government doesn't reconvene by October 21st, its draconian law will be tossed out the window. Activists are counting down the days.

by Mary McGill
18 October 2019

With just a few days to go until October 21st, it is almost certain that Northern Ireland’s draconian law against abortion will be reformed. The political situation in Northern Ireland is complex. The region’s devolved government has been suspended for over two years. For campaigners fighting for equal rights issues like abortion, this stalemate has been frustrating.

That is, until July of this year, when Westminster issued a ruling paving the way for the liberalisation of the region’s abortion legislation, provided Northern Ireland’s government does not reconvene before October 21st. Although there are fears that Boris Johnson will use abortion in Northern Ireland as a bargaining tactic in Brexit negotiations, at this late stage reform is unlikely to be derailed

Continued: https://www.vice.com/en_in/article/mbmkbb/northern-ireland-abortion-law-reform

N. Ireland – Abortion rights used to get DUP to back Brexit deal, says Stella Creasy

Abortion rights used to get DUP to back Brexit deal, says Stella Creasy
Labour MP accuses government of willingness to let Stormont be in control of abortion laws

Kate Proctor and Heather Stewart
Wed 16 Oct 2019

Labour MP Stella Creasy has accused the government of preparing to hand back control of abortion rights to Stormont to help curry favour with the DUP at a critical moment in the Brexit talks.

Creasy led a successful push in the Commons earlier this year to extend abortion rights to Northern Ireland – the only part of the UK where it remains illegal except in a very narrow set of circumstances. MPs amended the Northern Ireland (executive formation) bill, to say that the government in Westminster would be required to extend the right to abortion if the Northern Ireland assembly and executive at Stormont are not up and running by 21 October.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/16/abortion-rights-used-to-get-dup-to-back-brexit-deal-says-stella-creasy

Government obliged to legalise abortion in Northern Ireland, says Labour MP

Government obliged to legalise abortion in Northern Ireland, says Labour MP
Stella Creasy backed by 60 cross-party MPs calling for human rights to be upheld

Peter Walker, Political correspondent
Fri 5 Jul 2019

The Labour MP Stella Creasy is leading another attempt to extend access to abortion to Northern Ireland, tabling an amendment arguing that the government is obliged to do this to comply with human rights obligations.

Up to 60 MPs from across different parties were expected to co-sign the amendment, according to the Walthamstow MP, who has tried in the past to change Northern Ireland’s notoriously strict abortion laws.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/05/government-obliged-to-legalise-abortion-northern-ireland-labour-mp-stella-creasy

05.07.2019

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Mordaunt targets ‘appalling’ Northern Ireland abortion laws

Mordaunt targets ‘appalling’ Northern Ireland abortion laws
Equalities minister calls for government to act after Tory rivals rule out reform

Matthew Weaver and Henry McDonald
Wed 3 Jul 2019

The women and equalities minister, Penny Mordaunt, has signalled her determination to change the “appalling” abortion laws in Northern Ireland a day after the two Conservative leadership rivals ruled out reform on the issue.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were accused of pandering to religious fundamentalists in the Democratic Unionist party by claiming that abortion rights were a matter for the devolved assembly if power sharing was restored.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/03/penny-mordaunt-targets-appalling-northern-ireland-abortion-laws