Jamaica – JFJ pushes for abortion to be legalised

Sat December 2, 2023
(and 48-second podcast by Mickel Jackson, Executive Director of Jamaicans for Justice)

Human rights  group Jamaicans for Justice has added its voice to those advocating for the decriminalizing of abortion.

Government MP Juliet Cuthbert Flynn and her Opposition colleague Lisa Hannah have both, on separate occasions, called for parliamentary action to amend the country's abortion law.

Continued: https://radiojamaicanewsonline.com/local/jfj-pushes-for-abortion-to-be-legalised


UK – Parliament must vote to decriminalise abortion

Stella Creasy MP
27 November, 2023

When Roe v Wade was repealed in America last year, many voices in the UK were quick to dismiss concerns that restrictions on a woman’s basic right to choose could ever happen here, and assumed that our right to access abortion services was secure and reflected the settled will of the people.

At the same time, multiple women were awaiting trial, under a law older than the nation of Germany, for the offence of having an abortion. In contrast to Northern Ireland, abortion in England and Wales remains a criminal offence, with only a few closely defined circumstances in which people are exempt from prosecution.

Continued: https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/parliament-vote-decriminalise-abortion


A Controversial Court Ruling Has Britain’s Abortion Rights Groups Up in Arms

BY ARMANI SYED
JUNE 13, 2023

U.K. abortion rights groups are planning large demonstrations on Saturday outside London’s Royal Courts of Justice, after a woman was controversially jailed on Monday under an 1861 law for using drugs to induce a medical abortion past legal term limits.

The case has sparked outcry and calls for an overhaul of reproductive justice laws in the U.K., as well as the full decriminalization of abortion.

Continued: https://time.com/6286943/abortion-uk-law-jailed-woman/


Outrage at jail sentence for woman who took abortion pills later than UK limit

Mitigation plea signed by medical groups was sent to judge, while BPAS chief executive said sentence was ‘shocking and appalling’

Tobi Thomas
Mon 12 Jun 2023

Campaigners and MPs have reacted with outrage to a woman being sentenced to more than two years in prison for procuring drugs to induce an abortion after the legal limit.

The mother of three received the medication under the “pills by post” scheme, which was introduced during the Covid pandemic for unwanted pregnancies up to 10 weeks, after a remote consultation.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/12/woman-in-uk-jailed-for-28-months-over-taking-abortion-pills-after-legal-time-limit


Think abortion is legal in Great Britain? Ask the two women currently facing life sentences

The overturning of Roe v Wade is horrific, but vulnerable women are being imprisoned for ending pregnancies right now in Britain. It’s time to legalise abortion

Charlotte Proudman
Fri 19 Aug 2022

Like many people in Britain, you probably watched with horror the US supreme court’s reversal of Roe v Wade, thinking, “Thank goodness women could never be prosecuted for having an abortion here.” But let me tell you, it already happens here.

Two women are currently awaiting criminal trial in England for abortion-related offences, both facing charges that carry a maximum sentence of life. At least 17 women have been investigated by police over the past eight years for having had abortions.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/19/abortion-legal-great-britain-women-life-sentences-roe-v-wade


Nigeria – Women Group Seeks Suspension on Safe Pregnancy Guidelines Lifted

July 23, 2022
By cloudnewsmag

The Women Rights and Civil Society Organisations have called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to immediately lift suspension on the guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for legal Indicators.

The Groups maintained that women have rights to their bodily integrity and to life, stressing that the ‘Safe Termination of Pregnancy for legal Indicators’ is meant to save women from preventable death.

Continued: https://www.cloudnewsmag.com/women-group-seeks-suspension-on-safe-pregnancy-guidelines-lifted/


Jamaica – MPs told to consider ‘saving laws clause’ related to buggery, abortion

MPs told to consider 'saving laws clause' related to buggery, abortion

Loop News
Created : 2 October 2019

Members of Parliament (MPs) have been asked to consider whether they will vote to retain or amend legislation that criminalises buggery and abortion, two usually divisive issues.

Justice Minister, Delroy Chuck told MPs on Tuesday to consider the matters as he opened the debate on the report of the Joint Select Committee that was appointed to review the Sexual Offences Act, the Offences Against the Person Act, the Domestic Violence Act, and the Child Care and Protection Act.

Continued: http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/mps-told-consider-saving-laws-clause-related-buggery-abortion


UK – Police called after Stella Creasy targeted by anti-abortion group

Police called after Stella Creasy targeted by anti-abortion group
MP ‘physically sick’ at poster claiming to show aborted remains beside her image

Sarah Marsh
Sat 28 Sep 2019

The Labour MP Stella Creasy has contacted the police and said she feels “physically sick” after being targeted by an anti-abortion group.

Creasy, who represents Walthamstow in parliament, expressed her concern as protesters entered her constituency and put a poster of her next to a picture of what it claimed was “a 24-week-old aborted baby girl”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/sep/28/labour-mp-stella-creasy-targeted-by-anti-abortion-group


Jamaica – Health ministry developing sexual and reproductive health policy

Health ministry developing sexual and reproductive health policy

Thursday, October 25, 2018

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Health is pursuing the development of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy, which will create a framework for identifying effective strategies to reduce maternal mortality rates.

The framework will focus on strengthening the linkages between obstetric and non-communicable disease programmes and review the Ministry's capacity within the health sector to respond effectively to cases of unsafe abortions.

Continued: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/Health_ministry_developing_sexual_and_reproductive_health_policy


Ireland’s abortion debates through the years

Ireland's abortion debates through the years

Friday, 27 Apr 2018
By David McCullagh

With four weeks to go until Ireland votes on the referendum on the Eighth Amendment on Friday 25 May, David McCullagh looks back on the contentious debates over Ireland's abortion legislation.

1861
Offences Against the Person Act makes it an offence unlawfully to administer poison or to use an instrument on any woman with intent to procure her miscarriage.

1967
British Abortion Act is passed legalising abortion up to 28 weeks’ gestation.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0424/956963-abortion-timeline/