Full abortion services may not be ready in six months, doctor says

4 Dec 2022

A doctor has said she does not think abortion services will by fully developed in Northern Ireland within the next six months.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris announced on Friday he had written to the Department of Health to instruct them to formally commission abortion services in the region.

While Mr Heaton-Harris said he anticipated services becoming available in the coming months, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Laura McLaughlin, who co-founded Doctors For Choice NI, a group which has campaigned for the provision of abortion services, said there were a lot of pathways which had to be established.

Continued: https://www.derrynow.com/news/northern-ireland/979596/full-abortion-services-may-not-be-ready-in-six-months-doctor-says.html

04.12.2022

Featured

News

Chris Heaton-Harris

Doctors for Choice NI

Malta – PM in strong defence of abortion reform, says women’s health is not negotiable

Robert Abela invokes the ghosts of reforms past, from divorce to marriage equality, in his defence of abortion legislation

4 December 2022
by Nicole Meilak

Women’s health is non-negotiable, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Sunday, as he recalled past reforms on civil liberties to defend government’s next reform on abortion legislation.

During a political activity in Fgura on Sunday, Abela listed through several reforms that the Nationalist Party campaigned against over the years.

Continued: https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/120154/pm_in_strong_defence_of_abortion_reform_says_womens_health_is_not_negotiable#.Y41b3HbMKrQ

04.12.2022

Protests in Malta as parliament debates abortion amendment

Reuters
Dec 4, 2022

VALLETTA - A large picture of an unborn baby was placed outside the office of Malta's prime minister on Sunday as demonstrators called on the government to halt plans to amend the country's strict anti-abortion laws.

The protest, the biggest in years, attracted several thousand people including Malta's top Catholic bishop and the leader of the conservative opposition, but was led by a former centre-left president, Marie Louise Coleiro Preca.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/large-demos-malta-parliament-debates-abortion-law-2022-12-04/

04.12.2022

Marie Louise Coleiro Preca

Poland: Lawmaker Faces Charges for Pro-Choice Protest

Targeting MP Escalates Attacks on Women’s Rights, Free Speech

December 4, 2022

(Berlin) – Poland’s government should immediately drop charges against a member of parliament who participated in a pro-choice protest and stop targeting reproductive rights activists, Human Rights Watch said today.

On November 29, 2022, the Toruń prosecutor’s office charged Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, a member of the Left (Lewica) party, with “offending religious feelings” and “malicious interference with religious worship.” Each offense carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. She pleaded not guilty.

Continued: https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/12/04/poland-lawmaker-faces-charges-pro-choice-protest

As France Moves To Make Abortion A Constitutional Right, Here’s Looking Back At Global Laws Governing Pregnancy Termination

In many countries, women continue to have limited autonomy on decisions relating to their reproductive health. Here are some of the countries that evolved into legalising abortions and some others that continue to ban and restrict abortions.

Laxmi Mohan Kumar
3 Dec 2022

Abortion continues to be a highly debated topic within legislative and public circles worldwide. The process is either banned entirely or permitted with certain restrictions in a few places. On the larger space, it continues to be isolated from being identified as a constitutional right for women.

Even within the largest democracies of the world, women's rights are being discussed around a table dominated by male representatives who have often strongly voiced against legalising abortions.

Continued: https://thelogicalindian.com/gender/abortion-laws-around-the-world-39025

03.12.2022

Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act

UK – Bournemouth: Anti-abortion group take action against clinic buffer zone

Dec 2, 2022

An anti-abortion group is taking legal action over a clinic buffer zone, claiming it censors free speech and criminalises reading from the Bible.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council is being taken to court for introducing the zone to protect staff and visitors from protests.

Christian Concern said the council's consultation held prior to its introduction was "questionable".

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-dorset-63834799

02.12.2022

News

40 days for life

Andrea Williams

anti-choice protesters

Bpas

British Pregnancy Advisory Group

buffer zone

Christian Legal Centre

Maria Caulfield

Public Spaces Protection Order

Europe

United Kingdom

Anti-choice

Bishops in Malta warn politicians not to ease Europe’s strictest abortion laws

By Euronews, Reuters
Dec 2, 2022

On Friday, Malta's bishops warned parliamentarians not to back a bill aimed at easing the country's abortion laws, the strictest in the European Union.

In an open letter, Archbishop Charles Scicluna and bishops Joseph Galea Curmi and Anton Teuma wrote that the bill removing the risk of criminal action against doctors who perform an abortion to save a patient's life would allow people to terminate their pregnancies not only when their life is in danger, but also for any health issue.

Continued: https://www.euronews.com/2022/12/02/bishops-in-malta-warn-politicians-not-to-ease-europes-strictest-abortion-laws

02.12.2022

Italy – Feminists protest against Meloni over abortion rights

By Federica Pascale | EURACTIV.it
Nov 27, 2022

Feminists protested in Rome against new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, calling her a fascist and saying her government threatens the right to abortion in the country.

The protest aimed first at decrying the violence perpetrated against women and showing support for Iranian women but turned into denouncing Meloni’s government which protesters claimed threatened the right to abortion.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/feminists-protest-against-meloni-over-abortion-rights/

27.11.2022

Featured

News

abortion denial

conscientious objectors

Abortion will remain illegal in Malta, penalties will apply says PM

By Alice Taylor | EURACTIV.com
Nov 27, 2022

Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed that abortion will remain illegal in Malta and anyone found abusing new legislation designed to allow pregnant mothers to be treated even if such treatment could result in a termination, will face legal consequences.

Malta is home to some of the world’s most restrictive abortion laws with the procedure being a criminal offence in all circumstances including rape, incest, or if they mother’s life is at risk.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/abortion-will-remain-illegal-in-malta-penalties-will-apply-says-pm/

27.11.2022

Malta – UK parliamentarians write to Abela over ‘extreme concern’ about abortion laws

Small group of parliamentarians say UK's similar wording led to 'abortion on demand'

November 26, 2022
Times of Malta

Three UK parliamentarians and a number of members of the UK's House of Lords have written an open letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela to express "extreme concern" about proposed changes to Malta's abortion laws.

The letter was sent to Abela after the government unveiled legislative amendments that would allow doctors to terminate a pregnancy when a woman’s life or health is at serious risk.

Continued: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/three-uk-mps-lords-write-abela-extreme-concern-abortion-laws.997614

26.11.2022