Ireland: Latest: Summer date for abortion unrealistic, says Owen

Latest: Summer date for abortion unrealistic, says Owen
Dec 31, 2017

Update 1.38pm: A former Fine Gael Justice Minister has said that Pope Francis' visit next August might not be the only reason for delaying the abortion referendum.

The Taoiseach has previously said he would prefer if the country voted on the 8th Amendment in May or June.

However, Nora Owen has said that the preparation alone required for the referendum makes this timeline unrealistic. "I think that Pope or no Pope, you're probably looking at a longer date than May and June, and you can't push it into July or August," she said.

Continued at source: http://www.eveningecho.ie/oneaday/Latest-Summer-date-for-abortion-unrealistic-says-Owen-68620353-a57a-46e0-8dae-695def051789-ds


USA: For reproductive rights campaigners 2017 felt like the calm before the storm

For reproductive rights campaigners 2017 felt like the calm before the storm
The Trump administration has chipped away at women’s access to contraception and other health services but an all-out assault may just be a question of time

Molly Redden
Sat 30 Dec ‘17

The year 2017 was supposed to be when reproductive health battles simmering in the states boiled over into national policy.

Not only did Republicans retain control of Congress in last year’s election, Donald Trump stocked his administration with people opposed to not only abortion but everything from sex education to insurance coverage for contraception.

But while the administration did make moves that will limit access to abortion and reproductive care, Trump’s first year in office was not the all-out assault public health advocates feared.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/dec/30/for-reproductive-rights-campaigners-2017-felt-like-the-calm-before-the-storm


Ireland: Harris abortion warning

Harris abortion warning
Campaigners told not to raise disability as issue

Niamh Lyons, Ireland Political Editor
December 30 2017

Simon Harris has warned campaigners not to make non-fatal disabilities an issue during the referendum on the Eighth Amendment.

The health minister said that he would “abhor the idea” of disability being grounds for an abortion and wanted to make it clear the state would not propose or allow such a system.

Continued at source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/harris-abortion-warning-78bzwhccn


Ireland: Disability sector must be heard in abortion debate, says McGrath

Disability sector must be heard in abortion debate, says McGrath
Greater supports for children with disabilities needed in tandem with abortion legislation

Sat, Dec 30, 2017
Fiach Kelly

Moves to liberalise Ireland’s abortion legislation must be accompanied by greater supports for families of children with disabilities, the Minister of State with responsibility for disabilities has said.

Finian McGrath has also said representatives of the disability sector have told the Government they fear their voices will not be heard during the abortion referendum debate.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/disability-sector-must-be-heard-in-abortion-debate-says-mcgrath-1.3340795


Ireland: Dáil to debate recommendation of abortion committee in January

Dáil to debate recommendation of abortion committee in January
Minister for Health Simon Harris says Ireland is perceived as ‘isolating and cold’

Dec 29, 2017
Vivienne Clarke

Minister for Health Simon Harris has repeated his personal view that he supports the recommendation by the Oireachtas Committee that abortion should be available up to 12 weeks.

Three days of debate on the Committee’s report will be held when the Dáil resumes in January he told RTÉ’s News at One and the matter will also be discussed by the Cabinet.

Continued at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/d%C3%A1il-to-debate-recommendation-of-abortion-committee-in-january-1.3340498


Ireland: The abortion activist touring Ireland to win over hearts and minds

The abortion activist touring Ireland to win over hearts and minds
Caoimhe Anglin hopes to persuade voters to support abolition of eighth amendment that grants a foetus Irish citizenship

Henry McDonald, Ireland correspondent
Fri 29 Dec ‘17

A young computer engineer is embarking on a tour of Ireland in 2018 to convince voters to support changes to the abortion law, as the country prepares for a referendum on repealing its ban on the procedure in almost all circumstances.

Caoimhe Anglin’s journey through every Irish county pitches her into the heart of a battle between secularism and traditional Catholicism.

Continued at source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/dec/29/abortion-activist-touring-ireland-caoimhe-anglin-eighth-amendment


Nigeria: Checking the increasing rate of unsafe abortions

SPECIAL REPORT: Checking the increasing rate of unsafe abortions
By Fellow Press
December 29, 2017

The World Health Organisation observes that out of more than 56 million cases of abortions that take place globally each year, almost half of the cases are done through unsafe procedures.

It notes further that between 2010 and 2014, there were 55.7 million abortion cases every year and out of these, 17.1 million cases were unsafe.

Similarly, some concerned citizens express concern that cases of unsafe abortions are on the increase even as women and young girls have become victims of rape, resulting in unwanted pregnancy that they may seek to abort.

Continued at source: https://www.fellowpress.com/2017/12/29/special-report-checking-increasing-rate-unsafe-abortions/


MUVS Photography Competition: Stock Photos on Abortion


MUVS Photography Competition: Stock Photos on Abortion

Dec 28, 2017

Abortion is still a taboo: The topic is annoying, polarizing, stigmatizing, and even criminalizes women. Media coverage on abortion represents a one-sided visual language for a simple reason: Little to no useful stock photo material is available to depict the reality of this part of life. Therefore, MUVS Vienna is reaching out to obtain photographs that illustrate the critical situation of a woman (or couple) with an unwanted pregnancy in a realistic way. Photographers are invited to grapple with the difficult topic of unwanted pregnancy and abortion in a creative way. MUVS wants this competition to contribute in a useful and important way to the further destigmatisation of abortion.

There was a lot of positive, appreciative feedback, and the images submitted illustrate just how heterogeneous the theme is. A four-person jury, from the fields of journalism, photography, art and medicine selected the three main prize winners and awarded an additional three commendation prizes.

The winner of our photo competition, Christina Lag-Schröckenstein, together with her model, Veronika, was presented with her prize in a low-key event at the MUVS. The photographer saw it as a challenge to approach with sensitivity and understanding a competition whose intention it was to objectively illustrate the life circumstances of women affected by unwanted pregnancies, and to thus create a counterpoint to the so far one-sided portrayal of this topic in the media. The photographer made it her goal to depict a self-aware woman who reaches her decisions autonomously and without any outside influence. An undertaking she succeeded in, and which was appreciated by the four people on the jury.

The winning photos and further information can be found at http://abortion-pictures.info/en/.

Source: http://en.muvs.org/museum/muvs-photography-competition/


Winning Abortion Photos Available for Free Use

Winning Abortion Photos Available for Free Use
Dec 28, 2017
Christina Lag-Schrockenstein 1st prize MUVS-Vienna

The Museum of Contraception and Abortion in Vienna, known as MUVS, has announced the winners of its abortion photo contest.

Ten winning photographs on abortion are available for free use in illustrating stories and articles on abortion and unplanned pregnancy. These stock photos were selected to expand the exceedingly limited visual vocabulary that is seen in public imagery, as described in an earlier blog.

Continued at source: https://wordsofchoice.blogspot.ca/2017/12/winning-abortion-photos-available-for.html


Queensland Wants To Hear Your Thoughts On Whether Abortion Should Remain A Crime There

Queensland Wants To Hear Your Thoughts On Whether Abortion Should Remain A Crime There

Submissions close on 13 February.
Posted on December 28, 2017
Gina Rushton
BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia

The Queensland Law Reform Commission has called for the public to make submissions to its review into modernising the state's laws relating to abortion.

The terms of reference specifically require the commission to recommend how Queensland should amend its laws relating to the termination of pregnancy to:

Continued at source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ginarushton/queensland-wants-to-hear-your-thoughts-on-whether-abortion