Ireland to hold referendum on abortion laws next year

Ireland to hold referendum on abortion laws next year

Women convicted of having an illegal termination in Ireland currently face up to 14 years in prison.

Tuesday 26 September 2017
By Bethan Staton, News Reporter

Ireland is to hold a referendum on whether to scrap its ban on abortion, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has announced.

The vote will take place in May or June next year, shortly before a visit from Pope Francis.

Abortion is currently illegal in the Republic of Ireland, except in cases where the mother's life is in danger.

Continued at source: Sky News: http://news.sky.com/story/ireland-to-hold-referendum-on-abortion-laws-next-year-11054540


Ireland: ‘Our reproductive health laws have come to the attention of the UN Torture Committee’

'Our reproductive health laws have come to the attention of the UN Torture Committee'

Ireland’s abortion laws are cruel, inhuman, degrading and discriminatory, writes Niall Behan.

Aug 4, 2017
Niall Behan CEO, Irish Family Planning Association

WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL experts on the United Nations Convention Against Torture reviewed Ireland last week, one of their principal areas of concern was reproductive coercion.

Felice Gaer, the Committee’s Vice-Chair and its longest serving member, grilled the state delegation about Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution—the Eighth Amendment—and the ways in which a woman’s right to informed consent and bodily autonomy during pregnancy and childbirth are affected by this provision.

And she had many questions about what she termed “this serious, difficult subject in Ireland of abortion”.

Continued at link: The Journal: http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/our-reproductive-health-laws-have-come-to-the-attention-of-the-un-torture-committee-3526954-Aug2017/


Ireland: Citizens’ Assembly backs abortion rights in wide range of circumstances

Citizens’ Assembly backs abortion rights in wide range of circumstances
Two-thirds (64%) of participants support no restrictions on abortion under term limits

Sun, Apr 23, 2017
Ronan McGreevy

Members of the Citizens’ Assembly have recommended that abortion should be permitted in the State in a wide range of circumstances.

A majority of the 92 members voted to allow for abortion in all 13 circumstances considered by the body at its final meeting on Sunday.

Continued at source: Irish Times: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/citizens-assembly-backs-abortion-rights-in-wide-range-of-circumstances-1.3058170


Ireland questioned on human rights of sex workers by UN

Ireland questioned on human rights of sex workers by UN
Institutional abuse and traveller ethnicity among issues raised by UN committee

Wed, Feb 15, 2017
Kitty Holland

A Government delegation to the United Nations has been criticised as “vague and unhelpful” in its responses to questions about abortion.

Ireland was examined on Wednesday by a UN committee on women’s rights, on compliance with the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It is the first time Ireland has faced questioning by the Geneva-based CEDAW committee since 2005.

The delegation also heard calls for an international inquiry into symphysiotomy, for guarantees to protect the human rights of sex-workers and for measures to protect lone parents from poverty.

Continued at source: Irish Times: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/ireland-questioned-on-human-rights-of-sex-workers-by-un-1.2976579#.WKUPX_t9Pas.twitter