Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Ireland

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Ireland

Posted May 28, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Linda Kavanagh and the Abortion Right's Campaign

The Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC), played a very key role in the Repealing of the 8th Amendment and continues to be a key voice in grassroots activism and higher level policy advocacy for free, safe and legal abortions in the Republic of Ireland. At the same time, global solidarity has always been important for participants of the campaign in Ireland, and, due to shared common beliefs, many ARC members are also members of inroads. In fact, Katie Gillum, the inroads Executive Director, began her activism for abortion rights and access while serving as Co-Convenor to the ARC. The ARC is unique in that it practices non-hierarchical organization at all moments and therefore intrigues us to learn more.

In this piece, Linda Kavanagh, member of inroads, and other members of the ARC in the Republic of Ireland tell us more about the realities of their activism for abortion rights right now.

What will it take to totally humanize and normalize abortions in Ireland even post the victory to Repeal the 8th Amendment?

At our 2018 March for Choice, post-referendum but before services had been implemented, we took to the streets in our thousands to say our work is not done. Our then co-convener Denise O’Toole declared to the crowd we are here for “abortion on demand and without apology!”.

Continued: http://makeinroads.org/making-inroads/2019/May/inroads-members-in-national-campaigns-talk-stigma-spotlight-on-ireland


Ireland – Most older women support abortion change, repeal campaigners claim

Most older women support abortion change, repeal campaigners claim
Questions from public centre on future legislation, say repeal campaigners in Sligo

Sat, Apr 7, 2018
Marese McDonagh in Sligo

With just seven weeks to go before the abortion referendum, campaigners on the Repeal side in Sligo this week say they found a big appetite for information and a high level of engagement as they went door to door.

Local artist Paul Murray reckons they had canvassed up to 400 houses so far, getting an overwhelmingly positive response. “But in fairness it was getting close to kick off in the Liverpool/Manchester City game when we were out on Wednesday evening so they may have been saying anything to get rid of us,” he said.

continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/most-older-women-support-abortion-change-repeal-campaigners-claim-1.3453335