Pro-Choice Northern Ireland

A Few Things

Apologies for the lack of updates, but there hasn't been too much going in the last few weeks. The only interesting news at the moment relates to the publication by the Human Rights Commission of a report [PDF] outlining advice to the Secretary of State on the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. The report refuses to address the issue of abortion and instead refers the matter to the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. The Commission writes that due to "forceful and deeply felt submissions" on both sides, it would be "inappropriate" to try to resolve the issue through a Bill of Rights.

This cop out by the HRC has rather impressively managed to piss off both pro- and anti-choice activists. The claim that a Bill of Rights is not the place to address the abortion situation seems ridiculous to me - why did the HRC take submissions on the issue in the first place if they had no intention of actually doing anything about it? Furthermore, this decision seriously conflicts with HRC Chairperson Fiona McCausland's statement that, "Human rights and the Bill of Rights are about people, not politics. It is time to take the politics out of human rights in Northern Ireland and allow people to have their say on what rights they want protected in our society." Given that opposition to abortion rights is the only issue on which all of the main political parties agree, there is in Northern Ireland no issue more politicised and therefore deserving of intervention by the HRC.

Precious Life's Bernadette Smyth has responded with her usual nonsensical bleating and conspiracy theory accusations, claiming that the decision is one of "sheer hypocrisy", "a sinister move" and that the apparently abortion-obsessed CEDAW will try to "bully" Northern Ireland into legalising abortion. Honestly, I'd put money on her believing that 9/11 was an inside job and the moon landing didn't really happen. She goes on to suggest that Northern Ireland should create an 'international standard' on the right to life for unborn children and seems confused as to why the HRC hasn't done so - well, gosh, could it have anything to do with the fact that the report admits there are two sides to this issue? Perhaps Ms Smyth spends so much time claiming to speak for the people of Northern Ireland and is so used to having the politicians on her side she finds it difficult to imagine that she does not, in fact, have the monopoly on this issue after all?

Here are a few other bits and pieces -

Eamonn McCann's response to the failed amendment.

Not really 'news' to anyone involved in abortion rights, but still worth a read - Northern Irish women keep abortions secret:

Bridget works in a central Belfast bank. She spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because, if her secret came out, she would expect hostility from her Roman Catholic family and religiously strict workmates, Protestant and Catholic alike.

"I wish I could talk about it to my mother. I'd tell my sister — but she'd only tell Ma," she said with a sad laugh and a shake of her head. "Abortion has to be this dirty wee secret you carry inside you. You get on a plane or a boat, and live a lie."

Also, a Pro-Choice society is currently being set up at Queen's University, although it won't be 'official' until after the Students' Union council meeting in February. There's a Facebook group if you'd like to join or email info@pcni.org.uk with your details (including student number). There will also be an Alliance for Choice planning day in January, will post more on that in the New Year.

For now though, Happy Holidays!

Alliance For Choice Meeting

News & Commentary

Belfast Telegraph - Poll shows support for abortion law reform

News Letter - Abortion supported by majority

The Guardian -

'Last chance' to legalise abortions in Northern Ireland

Leaglise abortion in Northern Ireland

Harmen to block Commons votes on liberalising abortion laws

Comment is Free -

Over the sea and unheard

Labour's stitch-up will deny women fundamental rights

Radio -

Woman's Hour (at 10 minutes)

Good Morning Ulster (at 1 hour 10 minutes)

Also two more Slugger threads. Always fun!

Rally Reports

Campaigners at abortion rallies -

Pro-choice and anti-abortion campaigners have been holding rallies in support of, and in opposition to, an attempt to change the law on abortion.

Hundreds of campaigners attended an anti-abortion rally at Stormont.

An amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act would extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.

The Alliance for Choice group, which wants the act extended, held smaller rallies outside Belfast City Hall and in Londonderry.

Interestingly, Precious Life predicted a turnout of 'thousands' at their Stormont rally (I guess busing in school children from all over the country helps bump up the numbers!), but reports suggest it was closer to 'hundreds'. I thought the Alliance for Choice turnout in Belfast was pretty impressive, especially considering the awful weather and the fact that AfC were holding multiple rallies.

Will add more reports as I find them...in the meantime, here's a fun game - count how many people 'saying no to abortion' are actually 1. young enough and 2. female enough to ever need an abortion. Hmm...

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Hear Anna Lo on Inside Politics

UTV - Abortion debate takes centre stage

Indymedia - Photo from the Derry protest

News & Blog Roundup

The Guardian - We're talking about women's lives

Comment is Free - Abortion status quo? Not good enough

Belfast Telegraph - Why are the pro-lifers always so intent on playing up fear factor?

Sunday Times/Newshound - Muddled abortion laws demand clarity

Socialist Unity - Abortion in Northern Ireland

New Humanist - Extending abortion rights to Northern Ireland

Open Democracy - New attempt to change Northern Ireland abortion law

Liberal Conspiracy - Stand up for women's rights in Northern Ireland!

Harpymarx - Liberalise abortion rights: support a woman's right to choose

Cruella Blog - British Women (and Men) - Your Help Needed Now

A Pint of Unionist Lite - Freedom of choice to destroy Executive?

HangBitch Photo Essay - Northern Ireland: a woman's right to life

The FPA channel on YouTube features videos explaining the current law in Northern Ireland and real-life situations Northern Irish women have found themselves in.

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As well as tomorrow's Alliance for Choice protests in Belfast, Derry and Lisburn, Organise! are holding protests at the headquarters of the main political parties.The UUP protest had already occurred, but there will be DUP, Sinn Fein and SDLP pickets next week. Details here.

News & Events

As the pro-choice campaign to extend the Abortion Act to Northern Ireland heads into the home stretch, Alliance for Choice will be holding several events over the next couple of weeks. Details can be found on the Facebook group as always, but I have outlined them below as well:

Another public meeting will held, this time at the Holiday Inn on Ormeau Avenue in Belfast on Monday 13th October between 7.30pm-10.00pm. Dr Wendy Savage will be speaking.

The 40 Women Protest, highlighting the number of women forced to travel outside of Northern Ireland on a weekly basis to obtain abortions, will take place at the City Hall in Belfast on Saturday 18th October at 2.00pm.

The pro-choice campaign has also been getting some decent media coverage, particularly with BBC Spotlight's excellent investigation into the abortion situation in Northern Ireland. 

Some other news items include -

An Irish Times piece on the recent Alliance for Choice visit to Westminster (view pictures of the visit here).

Yet another depressingly predictable thread on Slugger (though good to see Brian Walker consistently covering the issue).

To further emphasize what we're dealing with, see this article from the anti-choice LifeNews, which quotes Precious Life's Bernadette Smyth:

"As Northern Ireland faces the threat of abortion being forced on us, this meeting will serve as a timely warning from a woman who has firsthand experience of the devastating effects of abortion — on herself; on other women; and on her country"

So apparently women who have abortions aren't just baby-killing whores...now we're unpatriotic baby-killing whores! She is again quoted, this time on LifeSiteNews, saying:

"Prayer and fasting has always been an absolute necessity for the success of all Precious Life's vital front-line action.Our efforts to stop the extension of the Abortion Act cannot succeed if we rely solely on our own human efforts.We must be totally dependent on God."

Can't argue with that logic, eh?

P.S. Don't forget to sign the petition!

Meeting & Letter To Dawn Primarolo

I think it's safe to say that the Alliance for Choice campaign launch on Tuesday night managed to succeed in putting paid to the lie that there is no support for abortion rights in Northern Ireland. With a turnout in the hundreds, fantastic speeches from Dawn Purvis, Anna Lo, Audrey Simpson, Lily Kerr, Taryn Trainer and Goretti Horgan and only a couple of embarrassingly inept anti-choice interruptions, the campaign could not have got off to a better start. Oddly, despite there being press at the event, I haven't spotted anything about it on the main news sites. If anyone has any articles or pictures they wouldn't mind sharing, please send them to info@pcni.org.uk - thanks!

Below is a copy of the letter to Dawn Primarolo distributed at the meeting. Dawn Purvis also emphasised the importance of sending a copy to Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward. Their contact details are as follows:

Dawn Primarolo
Minister of State for Public Health
The Department of Health
Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2NS

Shaun Woodward
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Office
11 Millbank
London
SW1P 4PN

Finally, check out the new Alliance for Choice website and, if you're on Facebook, join the group for details of upcoming events.

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Dear Minister,

Re: Women in Northern Ireland need equal right to abortion

I am writing to urge you to take account of the health needs of women in Northern Ireland and use your position to encourage colleagues to vote in favour of the amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act which calls for the extension of the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.

There is no question of Westminster 'imposing' abortion on NI; it is already a reality of life here. Each year thousands of Northern Irish women travel to Britain and Europe and pay for private abortions. For women living on low incomes, an unwanted pregnancy can leave them in a desperate situation - which is perhaps why 11% of Northern Irish GPs told a Middlesex University survey that they had seen the results of amateur abortions. The time it takes women to find enough money to have an abortions means that women from here are three times more likely that British women to have abortions after 20 weeks. However, thousands of others are forced to continue pregnancies they find intolerable. This includes women pregnant as a result of rape and sexual abuse. NI's GPs are explicitly prohibited from referring women for NHS abortions in Britain.

The abortion debate in NI has so far been led by religious fundamentalists who oppose not only abortion but all aspects of reproductive choice, including sex education. Just because people in NI vote along confessional lines does not mean they live their lives according to the edicts of the religions concerned. More than half (58 percent) of all births in Belfast last year were to unmarried parents. Over ten years ago, when the Brook Advisory Centre was established in Belfast, traditionalists said they would close it down. It's still there and has extended its services to other parts of the region. Those who opposed the introduction of civil partnerships could not sustain a campaign once the law was passed.

All of NI's largest unions support extension of the Act. In most cases, this policy has been voted on at branch level and then endorsed by Irish or NI regional conferences - a more democratic approach than that of the political parties who stand for election on sectarian lines and then tell us we've voted for their position on abortion. So, I urge you again, please extend the Abortion Act to NI and, 40 years after women in Britain, let women here have the right to choose.

Yours sincerely,

Name, Address & Postcode

Campaign Launch & Petition

From the BBC:

A campaign calling for the 1967 Abortion Act to be extended to Northern Ireland is to be launched later.

Alliance for Choice spokesperson Barbara Muldoon said the current legislation was outdated.

"Northern Ireland is already 41 years behind England, Scotland and Wales," she said.

"(That's) something that really seems inconceivable, that women in Northern Ireland would be denied a right that their sisters elsewhere in the UK have.

"We think, certainly in Alliance for Choice, that change is desperately needed, and it's due."

A petition has been submitted by FPA's Audrey Simpson at the Number 10 website and already has several hundred signatures - sign here!

Public Meeting

Alliance for Choice will be holding a public meeting at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Tuesday 9th September from 7.30pm-9.00pm. Speakers will include Anna Lo, Dawn Purvis, Bernadette MacAliskey and Students and Trade Union movement representatives.

There are also several posters to download and print off -

Poster 1
Poster 2
Poster 3

Call For NI Abortion Law Review

From the BBC:

A UN committee has repeated its call for a review of Northern Ireland's abortion law through public consultation.

The Committee on the Elimination for Discrimination Against Women noted in its latest report the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.

It also suggested this was having a detrimental impact on women's health.

The call coincides with moves by some Westminster MPs to have the act extended to Northern Ireland.