Australia – Greens urge enshrining abortion into constitution as politicization on the rise

2024-12-12

The Victorian Greens are urging the Premier to work with them to enshrine abortion access into the constitution as the politicisation of abortion continues to grow across the country, ultimately having a perverse effect on ensuring people have access to this essential healthcare.

It comes as the Queensland Liberal government has passed an unprecedented motion to gag debate on abortion in the Parliament. This motion will prevent any debate on the issue including the expansion of services, something that many health providers in the state have called for.

Continued: https://greens.org.au/vic/news/media-release/greens-urge-enshrining-abortion-constitution-politicisation-rise

12.12.2024

Rwanda – Access to Abortion is a Win for Human Rights

Dec 12, 2024

The amended ministerial order determining conditions to be met for a medical doctor to perform an abortion has finally allowed health centres and private clinics to perform abortions as long as they are authorized by the Ministry in charge. If a clinic fulfills requirements for the medical procedure, then it can also be allowed after assessment.

Previously, nurses and midwives were barred from performing abortions. Only doctors who obtained at least a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine, registered ad licensed by a health profession regulatory body in Rwanda and working in public or private health facilities, were allowed to perform the procedure.

Continued: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22512/opinions/editorial/access-to-abortion-is-a-win-for-human-rights

12.12.2024

Eswatini – Unsafe Abortion is a Silent Epidemic

By Sitakele Maseko
Dec 12, 2024

Unsafe abortion is a silent epidemic claiming the lives of countless women and girls worldwide, including in Eswatini.

During an Interface dialogue at Zikhotheni community held on November 7 at Galile Sport Ground, it came out clearly during the dialogue that young women face preventable deaths or life-altering complications because they lack access to safe, legal, and affordable reproductive healthcare.

Continued; http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=23186

12.12.2024

Queensland parliament passes ‘unprecedented’ gag on abortion debate

Ambush motion, introduced by David Crisafulli, aimed at preventing potential public disunity in LNP ranks by ensuring MPs won’t be forced into a conscience vote

Andrew Messenger
Tue 10 Dec 2024

The Queensland parliament has been banned from debate on abortion for four years after an ambush motion by the premier, David Crisafulli, in a move labelled “unprecedented”.

The motion also requires any “motion or amendment” seeking to have the house “express its views” on abortion be ruled out of order. Opposition and crossbench MPs labelled the move “extraordinary” and “unprecedented”.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/10/queensland-parliament-passes-unprecedented-gag-on-abortion-debate

10.12.2024

News

David Crisafulli

gag on abortion debate

Abortion provider accuses Nigel Farage of pushing anti-abortion agenda to ‘ingratiate’ himself with Trump

Reform UK leader accused of ‘using women’s bodies and lives to score cheap political points’

Maya Oppenheim, Women’s Correspondent
Tuesday 10 December 2024

Farage has been accused of pushing an anti-abortion agenda to “score cheap political points” and “ingratiate” himself with soon-to-be US president Donald Trump.

The Reform UK leader recently said parliament should debate rolling out stricter limits on abortion for women - suggesting the current time limit may need to be made shorter.

Continued: https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/nigel-farage-abortion-debate-trump-b2661900.html

10.12.2024

News

Alliance Defending Freedom

Global Gag Rule

Louise McCudden

MSI Reproductive Choices

Nigel Farage

Reform UK

Southern Poverty Law Centre

A bill that would legalize abortion will be debated in Germany’s parliament

Green and Social Democrat MPs have introduced a bill that would legalize abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

By Elsa Conesa
Dec 10, 2024

This part of German law is referred to as "Paragraph 218": "Whosoever terminates a pregnancy shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding three years or a fine." However, a group of MPs has begun efforts to decriminalize abortion, hoping to take advantage of a brief parliamentary window created by the collapse of the current coalition on November 6, ahead of the federal election on February 23, 2025, which will elect a new Bundestag.

Abortion is illegal in Germany, although in practice it is not prosecuted if carried out within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy after a medical consultation. As the procedure is illegal, it is not reimbursed by social security. According to the Federal Statistical Office, around 106,000 abortions were reported in Germany in 2023, compared with 243,600 in France.

Continued: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2024/12/11/a-bill-that-would-legalize-abortion-will-be-debated-in-germany-s-parliament_6735952_4.html

10.12.2024

News

abortion decriminalization

UK – RCN calls for decriminalisation of abortion

Madeleine Anderson
09 Dec 2024

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has called for the decriminalisation of abortion in England, Wales and Scotland. The union urged abortion to be treated as a health matter, rather than a criminal issue, in a statement issued last week.

It is currently a criminal offence for women to obtain an abortion without the approval of two doctors, as outlined in the 1967 Abortion Act, in England, Wales and Scotland.

Continued: https://www.nursinginpractice.com/clinical/womens-health/rcn-calls-for-decriminalisation-of-abortion/

09.12.2024

News

1967 Abortion Act

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Royal College of Nursing

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Shaping Abortion for Change Report

UK – Call to end abortion pills by post after poisoning

Dec 9, 2024
Clare Worden, BBC News, Norfolk

An anti-abortion group has called for abortion medication to stop being accessible by post after a man was convicted of poisoning a woman with pills. Stuart Worby, 40, from Dereham, Norfolk, was jailed for 12 years for sexually assaulting the pregnant woman and giving her abortion medication.

Right To Life UK wants the government to suspend the ability for people to be sent this medication by post, which was introduced during the Covid pandemic, in light of the case. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said women needed to access safe abortions and should not be punished "for the actions of abusive men".

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wrpje9le1o

09.12.2024

News

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

Polish ruling party’s presidential candidate outlines aims on abortion, defence and economy

Dec 9, 2024
Notes from Poland

The presidential candidate of Poland’s main ruling party, Rafał Trzaskowski, has outlined the priorities for his campaign, including ending the near-total abortion ban, increasing defence spending, and tackling inflation.

Speaking at a convention of the centrist Civic Coalition (KO) – at which he was introduced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk – Trzaskowski asked Poles to imagine how the country might look today if he had won the 2020 presidential elections, when he was narrowly defeated by Andrzej Duda, the conservative incumbent.

“There would be no embarrassment on the international stage, huge inflation, destruction of Polish schools, medieval anti-abortion law,” said Trzaskowski. “We will not allow that, women must decide about their lives and health.”

Continued: https://notesfrompoland.com/2024/12/09/polish-ruling-partys-presidential-candidate-outlines-aims-on-abortion-defence-and-economy/

09.12.2024

Law and Justice party

Polish Constitutional Tribunal

UK – Ban abortion ‘pills by post’, ministers urged

Charles Hymas (The Telegraph)
Sun, December 8, 2024

Ministers have been urged to ban the “pills by post” at-home abortions scheme after a man used the medication to spike the drink of a woman and cause a miscarriage.

Stuart Worby was jailed on Friday for 12 years for assaulting the woman when he administered the abortion pills in a glass of orange juice after obtaining them online.

The pills by post scheme was introduced during the Covid pandemic to prevent the spread of the virus and enable women to obtain the medication online without having an in-person consultation with a medical professional.

Continued: https://www.yahoo.com/news/ban-abortion-pills-post-ministers-171301207.html