Ireland- Anti-abortion movement trusts politicians only when it suits them

Anti-abortion movement trusts politicians only when it suits them
Eighth Amendment was result of efforts in 1983 to politicise abortion

Mar 31, 2018
Diarmaid Ferriter

Over the decades, champions of the Eighth Amendment have been conveniently selective in their assessments of the usefulness of politicians. During the Seanad debate on the abortion Bill on Wednesday, Senator Ronán Mullen was adamant that “politicians simply can’t be trusted on this issue”; indeed the Eighth Amendment, he insisted, was originally designed to “take this issue away from politicians”.

But it was the politicians who the orchestrators of the Eighth Amendment found extremely useful in 1983. Emily O’Reilly’s 1992 book, Masterminds of the Right underlines a secret world of a very small group who plotted the 1983 amendment and got the politicians to do their bidding.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/anti-abortion-movement-trusts-politicians-only-when-it-suits-them-1.3445715

Ireland’s historic chance to trust women

Ireland’s historic chance to trust women

By Cynthia Romero
03/31/18

In a moment when women globally are reclaiming their voice and power, Ireland faces a historic chance to overturn a law that hurts so many women. On May 25, the Irish people will decide whether to repeal the 8th amendment, which equates the life of a pregnant woman with that of an embryo or fetus and criminalizes abortion except if continuing a pregnancy would result in certain death.

Living in Ireland as a graduate student in my early 20s, I found Ireland’s harsh abortion ban paradoxical and out of sync with an Irish society so committed to social justice and compassion.

Continued: http://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/380862-irelands-historic-chance-to-trust-women

Ireland – Simon Coveney: My indecision on abortion is final (I think)

Simon Coveney: My indecision on abortion is final (I think)
Simon Coveney is suffering brickbats for changing his mind on abortion. Is this only a personal crisis, or does it reflect a split in the government, asks Stephen O’Brien

Stephen O’Brien, Political Editor
April 1 2018

The headline in the Irish Examiner confirmed that all was not well in Cork. “Coveney plan for legal lock in tatters,” the newspaper declared on Wednesday as the tanaiste, a local TD, made the news for the third day running.

“Tanaiste Simon Coveney has been left humiliated after his two-thirds Dail majority legal-lock plan for the government’s post-referendum abortion law was labelled unconstitutional, naive and deeply damaging to the ‘yes’ campaign,” the Examiner railed.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/simon-coveney-my-indecision-on-abortion-is-final-i-think-qjxq07h2p

Baranyai: Strict abortion bans harm girls forced to give birth

Baranyai: Strict abortion bans harm girls forced to give birth
The fate of one individual can galvanize public sentiment. So it is with the widespread tragedy of children forced into childbirth

Robin Baranyai
Published on: March 30, 2018

Statistics of tragedy can become meaningless; the scope of suffering, vague. Yet the fate of one individual can galvanize public sentiment – three-year-old Alan Kurdi, drowned escaping the conflict in Syria, or Kim Phuc, Vietnam’s “napalm girl.”

So it is with the widespread tragedy of children forced into childbirth. Every year, worldwide, two million girls aged 14 and under have babies themselves, because they don’t have access to safe, legal abortion.

Continued: http://lfpress.com/opinion/columnists/baranyai-strict-abortion-bans-harm-girls-forced-to-give-birth

Busting Abortion Stigma with inroads

Busting Abortion Stigma with inroads

Mar 30, 2018
By Camila, YouAct member

Last week I entered a beautiful, stigma-free world: where people have access to legal, safe, and free abortions, where your economic situation, nationality, gender, disability, race, religion or age don’t limit your access to healthcare, where you don’t have to justify your decision to continue or end a pregnancy, where having the right to make your own decisions over your body is a given, where your emotions and feelings are taken seriously, and where diversity is celebrated. This world was the inroads Global Gathering, which took place in Zagreb from the 12th to 16th of March 2018.

I was invited to the inroads Global Gathering to present YouAct’s work on stigma busting through the ‘Speak My Language’ Project: two toolkits that explain abortion stigma with a focus on Eastern Europe and show how storytelling can be an incredibly empowering and effective tool to bust stigma.

Continued: http://youact.org/2018/03/30/busting-abortion-stigma-with-inroads/

30.03.2018

busting abortion stigma

Inroads

Inroads Global Gathering

intersectional approach

Speak My Language Project

Cyprus – Parliament decriminalises abortion

Parliament decriminalises abortion

March 30th, 2018
George Psyllides Cyprus

After years of discussion parliament on Friday passed with an overwhelming majority a law decriminalising abortion.

The controversial matter – which had remained largely stagnant out of fear of reprisal from the church – was voted into law with 33 votes in favour, eight against and five abstentions.

It allows termination of an unwanted pregnancy up to 12 weeks of gestation. In case of rape, an abortion can take place up to 19 weeks.

Continued: http://cyprus-mail.com/2018/03/30/parliament-decriminalises-abortion/

Lesotho – Where Abortion is Illegal, Women Turn to Facebook for Alternatives

Where Abortion is Illegal, Women Turn to Facebook for Alternatives

March 29, 2018
By Jenna Presta in International

Women in Lesotho are finding abortion pills and their providers on Facebook. Abortion, a matter of common law rather than statutory law in Lesotho, is illegal in all cases except those that threaten the life of the mother according to the UN country report.

In addition to legal obstacles, women in Lesotho face threats of social isolation, similar to women in the United States, where abortion can also be a taboo topic. These societal implications coupled with the legal restrictions of the nation drive women to seek out an alternative path.

Continued: http://www.mediafiledc.com/abortion-illegal-women-turn-dangerous-measures/

Ireland – Harris dismisses Coveney’s claims of scans before terminations

Harris dismisses Coveney’s claims of scans before terminations
Minister for Health insisted any need for scan will be based on doctors’ discretion
March 29, 2018

Sarah Bardon

The Government has distanced itself from claims by Tánaiste Simon Coveney that women seeking a termination after nine weeks of pregnancy will have to undergo a scan.

Mr Coveney had outlined his expectation that the operation of an abortion regime would be coupled with medical guidelines and these would include a requirement for a scan between nine and 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/harris-dismisses-coveney-s-claims-of-scans-before-terminations-1.3443640

29.03.2018

Referendum Commission

Simon Coveney

Simon Harris

ultrasound scans for abortion

#HomeToVote: Irish expats snap up flights as abortion referendum date is set

#HomeToVote: Irish expats snap up flights as abortion referendum date is set
By Alice Cuddy
29/03/2018

Irish men and women living abroad are rushing to book tickets home to vote in the country’s highly-anticipated referendum on abortion rights after the government announced on Wednesday that it will be held on May 25.

The referendum on whether to repeal a constitutional amendment from 1983 that effectively bans terminations does not allow postal votes from outside of Ireland, and requires returning voters not to have lived outside of Ireland for more than 18 months.

Continued: http://www.euronews.com/2018/03/29/-hometovote-irish-expats-snap-up-flights-as-abortion-referendum-date-is-set

29.03.2018

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1983 abortion referendum

abortion referendum

Eighth Amendment

London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign

Ireland – Investigation Launched After 12 Year Old Girl Travels Abroad For Abortion

Investigation Launched After 12 Year Old Girl Travels Abroad For Abortion
Fiachra Johnston
March 29, 2018

The Gardaí and the Child and Family agency Tusla, are currently investigating the case of a 12 year old girl, who reportedly travelled to the UK to receive an abortion. It is believed she was provided aid by the Abortion Support Network (ASN), with authorities notified by the clinic in question after questions about the age of the girl were raised on her arrival. First reported by the Sunday Times, ASN founder Mara Clarke stated that 52 girls under 16 used its service last year, and that at least two thirds of them were from the Republic of Ireland. As stated by the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland the termination of pregnancies is not legal within the country.

Continued: http://www.universityobserver.ie/news/investigation-launched-after-12-year-old-girl-travels-abroad-for-abortion/