Proposed Queensland abortion laws will improve access for regional and remote women, pro-choice advocates say

Proposed Queensland abortion laws will improve access for regional and remote women, pro-choice advocates say

ABC Capricornia
By Megan Hendry and Amy McCosker
July 25, 2018

Pro-choice advocates have thrown their support behind proposed changes to Queensland's abortion laws, saying it will give women in regional and remote areas better access to services.

Women in a large parts of north and west Queensland have limited access to abortion services and have been forced to travel vast distances to Rockhampton, Townsville or even interstate, according to not-for-profit abortion service provider, Marie Stopes Australia.

Continued: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-26/abortion-laws-will-improve-access-for-regional-and-remote-women/10004142


UK – Decision to ban protests at London abortion clinic upheld

Decision to ban protests at London abortion clinic upheld
Campaigners lose high court challenge over protest-free buffer zone at clinic in Ealing

Sarah Marsh
Mon 2 Jul 2018

A council’s decision to ban anti-abortion protesters from gathering outside a London clinic has been upheld in the high court.

Campaigners lost a legal challenge to a move by Ealing council to create a 100-metre, protest-free “buffer zone” around the Marie Stopes clinic. The council was the first in the country to take such a decision in an attempt to shield women from demonstrators.

continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/02/decision-ban-protests-london-abortion-clinic-upheld-high-court-ealing


Ireland – Abolish three-day waiting period for abortion, TD demands

Abolish three-day waiting period for abortion, TD demands
Heads of a Bill to regulate the termination of pregnancy is due to be published next month

Fri, Jun 22, 2018
Sarah Bardon Political Reporter

Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger has called on the Government to remove the three-day waiting period from the proposed abortion legislation.

Ms Coppinger has sent a lengthy submission to Minister for Health Simon Harris, who is preparing a Bill to regulate the termination of pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/abolish-three-day-waiting-period-for-abortion-td-demands-1.3540373


Evangelical Christians step up abortion clinic protests in Queenslan

Evangelical Christians step up abortion clinic protests in Queensland
Pro-choice groups send volunteers to escort women as state prepares to decriminalise

Ben Smee
Mon 18 Jun 2018

An evangelical group has ramped up demonstrations outside several Brisbane abortion clinics as Queensland prepares to reform its 1899 laws that make abortion a criminal offence.

Guardian Australia is aware of several recent verbal clashes between members of the anti-abortion group “Project 139” and clinic patients. The group has sought and received permits to conduct protests at four Brisbane clinics until at least August.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/19/evangelical-christians-step-up-abortion-clinic-protests-in-queensland


Australia – Abortion advocates urge NSW to ‘take next step’ after new safe access laws

Abortion advocates urge NSW to 'take next step' after new safe access laws
Reproductive rights activists have praised the passing of the new ‘safe access abortion zone’ laws in New South Wales, but say they would like to see abortion completely decriminalised.

June 8, 2018
By Evan Young

After a mammoth sitting which saw testimony from over 40 MPs, the New South Wales parliament passed the controversial amendment of the Public Health Act early Friday morning, 61 votes to 18.

The new law, supported by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, makes it illegal to communicate, film or intimidate a woman inside of a 150-metre radius of an abortion clinic.

Continued: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/abortion-advocates-urge-nsw-to-take-next-step-after-new-safe-access-laws


Australia – Barnaby Joyce says he is ‘entitled’ to lobby against safe zones for abortion clinics

Barnaby Joyce says he is 'entitled' to lobby against safe zones for abortion clinics
The Nationals MP, who told a TV interviewer he couldn’t enforce his pro-life views on others, says he is ‘obligated’ to lobby against the bill

Amy Remeikis
Thu 7 Jun 2018

Barnaby Joyce says he is “allowed, entitled and obligated” to lobby his state party counterparts to oppose a New South Wales parliament bill allowing safe zones for women attempting to access abortion clinics.

Joyce, who took medical leave in the last sitting of parliament, in the lead up to the controversial $150,000 tell-all interview he and his new partner, Vikki Campion, agreed to, has been contacting NSW Nationals MPs asking them to oppose the legislation.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/07/barnaby-joyce-i-am-entitled-to-lobby-against-safe-zones-for-abortion-clinics


Ban on anti-abortion protests at London clinic disproportionate, court hears

Ban on anti-abortion protests at London clinic disproportionate, court hears
Council accused of infringing freedom of speech with ban at Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing

Dan Sabbagh
Thu 7 Jun 2018

An anti-abortion group seeking to overturn the UK’s only exclusion zone around a Marie Stopes clinic, in Ealing, west London, have told judges they believe the council’s actions amounted to an illegal discrimination against their right to free speech and peaceful protest.

Alasdair Henderson, a lawyer representing a woman who is a member of the Good Counsel Network, said that the ban on protesters from being within 100 metres of the clinic should be struck down because the effect on the anti-abortion group was “inherently disproportionate”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/07/anti-abortion-protests-ban-ealing-marie-stopes-clinic-london


Isle of Man – Abortion Bill: Zones banning protestors set to become law

Abortion Bill: Zones banning protestors set to become law

Saturday, 28 April 2018 - Politics
A Reporter

Provisions that will ban protestors from approaching patients and medics in ’access zones’ have been added to the bill.

Ralph Peake (Douglas North) succeeded in getting backing for the new clauses that will enable the creation of ’access zones’ around the hospital, centres offering abortion services and the homes of medical staff. Some, mainly technical, amendments were approved.

Under the new provision, anti-abortion protestors will face prosecution if they target vulnerable women or staff in such access zones.

Continued: http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=40099&headline=Abortion%20Bill:%20Zones%20banning%20protestors%20set%20to%20become%20law&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2018


Abortion debate rages on 50 years after UK legalization

Abortion debate rages on 50 years after UK legalization

April 27, 2018
Reuters Staff

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Abortion has been legal in Britain for 50 years, but the fight to control a woman’s womb remains a political battlefield.

Though abortion for pregnancies up to 24 weeks became legal in 1968, the volume and ferocity of anti-abortion protests have been increasing, women’s rights campaigners say.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-women-abortion-factbox/abortion-debate-rages-on-50-years-after-uk-legalization-idUSKBN1HY21N


UK – Ealing abortion clinic buffer zone comes into force

Ealing abortion clinic buffer zone comes into force

23 April 2018

A buffer zone has come into force around an abortion clinic in west London.

The order means neither anti-abortion nor pro-choice campaigners are able to stand within 100m (330 ft) of the Marie Stopes clinic in Ealing.

Councillors voted unanimously to implement the safe zone after women complained of intimidation.

Continued: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-43864465