Safe and Legal in Ireland Abortion Rights Campaign

The Safe and Legal (in Ireland) Abortion Rights Campaign

Safe and Legal demonstration

The Safe and Legal (in Ireland) Abortion Rights Campaign is of unique significance, as it represents the first major initiative aimed at moving forward on abortion in this country. Anti-choice groups seeking further regressive and unworkable responses to abortion have always led previous campaigns on abortion.

Since the first Constitutional referendum on abortion in 1983, Ireland has changed: more women living in Ireland access abortion services and more women feel angry and frustrated that they have to travel to Britain and other countries to secure these services. The only thing that has not changed is the lack of courage and leadership demonstrated by successive Governments in dealing with abortion in a realistic and rational way.

NEWS: Human Rights Court to Rule on Irish Abortion Law

The European Court of Human Rights will issue a judgment in the case of ABC v Ireland this week. The case was taken by three women living in Ireland who were forced to travel to the UK to access safe abortion services.

Judgement in the case will be delivered by the President of the Court on Thursday December 16 2010 at 10am (GMT) at an oral hearing in Strasbourg.

The three applicants, who all became pregnant unintentionally, told the court that the impossibility of obtaining an abortion in Ireland made the procedure unnecessarily expensive, complicated and traumatic. In particular, they argued that Ireland’s restrictive abortion laws stigmatised and humiliated them and risked damaging their health and, in the third applicant’s case, even her life.

NEWS: Women 'lose health, money & dignity' because of law

By Carl O'Brien, Irish Times

Three women were subjected to indignity, stigmatisation and ill-health as a result of being forced to travel abroad for their abortions, the European Court of Human Rights heard yesterday.

Legal representatives for the women – who are supported by the Irish Family Planning Association – said their clients were unable to challenge the laws in Ireland because there were no effective domestic legal remedies available to them.

Addressing the court, counsel for the women Julie Kay said taking a case in the Irish courts would have been “costly, futile and could have forced them to relinquish their anonymity”.

ICCL: Europe’s Top Court To Rule on Irish Abortion Ban

Speaking in advance of this much-anticipated ruling, the ICCL’s Director Mr Mark Kelly said:

“Whatever the Court decides, the Grand Chamber’s decision to hold a public hearing is a clear signal that Strasbourg recognises the gravity of the interests at stake. For far too long, the restrictions on abortion in Ireland have amounted to a form of institutionalised hypocrisy, requiring vulnerable women to leave the State to avail of a procedure which should be safely and legally available here.”

Take Action

The Safe and Legal (in Ireland) Abortion Rights Campaign welcomes supporters to become involved and take action to support the campaign.

BPAS: Welcomes Upcoming Human Rights Ruling

British Abortion charity BPAS welcomes the announcement that a judgement will be issued next week by the European Court of Human Rights on the challenge to Ireland's abortion ban.

On Thursday, December 16, the court will rule on whether the human rights of three women living in Ireland were violated after they were forced to travel to the UK to access safe abortion services.

The women, who argued that Ireland's restrictive abortion laws jeopardised their health and wellbeing and violated their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, are being supported by the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) and bpas.

The Safe and Legal (in Ireland) Abortion Rights Campaign

NEWS: Human Rights Court to Rule on Irish Abortion Law

NEWS: Women 'lose health, money & dignity' because of law

ICCL: Europe’s Top Court To Rule on Irish Abortion Ban

Take Action

BPAS: Welcomes Upcoming Human Rights Ruling

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