An important test for the abortion law took place in 1992. A 14-year-old rape victim who became pregnant told a court she was considering committing suicide because she was forced to carry her rapist`s baby to term. The judge ruled that the threat to his life was not so great as to warrant permission to have an abortion. This decision barred her from leaving Ireland for nine months, forcing her to carry her pregnancy to term. The Court does not consider that abortion can only be permitted if there is a risk of immediate or unavoidable death of the pregnant woman, as this would not sufficiently protect her right to life. On 6 January 2019, it was reported that 200 general practitioners had registered to provide abortion services in Ireland. [79] By the end of 2019, less than 15% of Irish GPs had committed to providing abortion services. [80] June 2016: The UN Human Rights Committee notes that Ireland`s abortion laws violated Amanda Mellet`s right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as her right to privacy. The laws in Northern Ireland were even stricter. Although the UK Abortion Act 1967 established the right to abortion up to 24 weeks after pregnancy and later in certain circumstances, the devolved government of Northern Ireland did not pass the legislation and, under the law, anyone who had an abortion could be punished with life imprisonment. Abortion laws inherently restrict access and determine who does not have access to care.
In this way, they cause harm to all people who seek abortion. In practice, this means that we should decriminalize and shape abortion prevention starting with the most marginalized in our society. What obstacles do they face: in circulation, in visas, in health systems, in support systems? Abortion in Northern Ireland: High Court to rule on Sarah Ewart case in October 2019 But Ireland`s new law also contains major restrictions that impose significant barriers on abortion seekers. In 2014, Ms. Y, a suicidal young refugee woman, was denied an abortion under the law. She began a hunger strike. The baby was eventually delivered by caesarean section. [56] Problem 4: A doctor, friend or family member could still face a 14-year prison sentence for helping someone access abortion.
In 1929, politicians expressed fears of an increase in criminal abortions and infanticide following the passage of the law amending the Penal Code, which banned all contraceptive devices and substances; No exceptions were made. [25] In the 1930s, more than 100 Irish women died each year from unsafe abortions in the alley. [26] July 2013: President Michael D. Higgins signs the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act. The Act aims to implement the 1992 judgment of the Supreme Court in case X and the 2010 European Court of Human Rights in cases A, B and C v. Ireland and to ensure legal access to abortion when a pregnant woman`s life is in danger. 25 public hospitals are listed as suitable establishments in which dismissal can be carried out. I was living in Ireland when a total ban on abortion was enshrined in the Irish Constitution. The law that I later challenged before the European Court of Human Rights had been enacted decades earlier in response to Roe v. Wade. This Irish twin of the human life amendment repeatedly introduced by America gave a fertilized egg rights equivalent to those of a pregnant woman.
Even life-saving abortions were not available in Ireland. Various Catholic organizations, including the Irish Catholic Doctors` Guild, St. Joseph`s Young Priests Society and the St. Thomas More Society, joined forces to form the Pro Life amendment campaign. They began to promote the idea of making Ireland an exemplary anti-abortion nation by enshrining a ban on abortion not only in law, but also in the nation`s constitution. The 8th Amendment to the Irish Constitution, which is at the heart of the abortion issue, was adopted on 7 September 1983 by a majority of 67 to 33%. Ireland offers a human rights-based pathway to abortion rights in the United States and even around the world. After 35 years of a regime that banned all abortions, Ireland now offers safe, legal and funded services throughout the first trimester of pregnancy.
American abortion activists who defend Save Roe would do well to look across the pond for inspiration and examples of successful human rights-based strategies. After the election, 39% of Yes voters said that a conversation or acquaintance with someone they knew personally who had an abortion influenced their vote. At Ireland`s first Universal Periodic Review, the country`s restrictive abortion laws were the main issue of concern to UN member states. Six countries are making recommendations to reform Ireland`s abortion laws: Norway, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Martin also said abortion is not a Catholic issue, but a matter of human dignity imbued with „reason and faith“ and a value to „people of all faiths and none.“ Reproductive freedom is about controlling if and when we have children. It is the ability to determine what is best for us and our families and not just a privilege for the rich or the lucky. Tired debates about religious beliefs or philosophical arguments about „when life begins“ are diversionary maneuvers that keep us in defense. Even in „Catholic Ireland“, mass movements continued to focus on gender equality and the physical integrity of women. That is what we need to do here.
By demanding our human rights through actions such as calling for the passage of the Women`s Health Protection Act, pre-purchasing aborted drugs, and insisting that companies join us in boycotting Texas and other states that cruelly ban abortion, we will gain ground.
