A bird's eye view of the vineyard
 Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy Human Rights in Ireland >>
Judges Told to Avoid Saying ?Asylum Seekers? and ?Immigrants? Fri Jul 26, 2024 17:00 | Toby Young
A new edition of the Equal Treatment Bench Book instructs judges to avoid terms such as 'asylum seekers', 'immigrant' and 'gays', which it says can be 'dehumanising'.
The post Judges Told to Avoid Saying ?Asylum Seekers? and ?Immigrants? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
The Intersectional Feminist Rewriting the National Curriculum Fri Jul 26, 2024 15:00 | Toby Young
Labour has appointed Becky Francis, an intersectional feminist, to rewrite the national curriculum, which it will then force all schools to teach. Prepare for even more woke claptrap to be shoehorned into the classroom.
The post The Intersectional Feminist Rewriting the National Curriculum appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Government Has Just Declared War on Free Speech Fri Jul 26, 2024 13:03 | Toby Young
The Government has just announced it intends to block the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, effectively declaring war on free speech. It's time to join the Free Speech Union and fight back.
The post Government Has Just Declared War on Free Speech appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
I Wrote an Article for Forbes Defending J.D. Vance From Accusations of ?Climate Denialism?. Forty Ei... Fri Jul 26, 2024 11:00 | Tilak Doshi
On July 18th, Dr Tilak Doshi wrote an article for Forbes defending J.D. Vance from accusations of 'climate denialism'. 48 hours later, Forbes un-published the article. Read the article on the Daily Sceptic.
The post I Wrote an Article for Forbes Defending J.D. Vance From Accusations of ?Climate Denialism?. Forty Eight Hours Later, Forbes Un-Published the Article and Sacked Me as a Contributor appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Come and See Nick Dixon and me Recording the Weekly Sceptic at the Hippodrome on Monday Fri Jul 26, 2024 09:00 | Toby Young
Tickets are still available to a live recording of the Weekly Sceptic, Britain's only podcast to break into the top five of Apple's podcast chart. It?s at Lola's, the downstairs bar of the Hippodrome on Monday July 29th.
The post Come and See Nick Dixon and me Recording the Weekly Sceptic at the Hippodrome on Monday appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
|
IFPA Launches Campaign for Safe and Legal Abortion in Ireland
Press Release from IFPA detailing launch of campaign for free,safe and legal abortion services in Ireland. The Irish Family Planning Association, today (9.08.05), launched a major campaign for the introduction of legal abortion services in Ireland.
The ‘Safe and Legal in Ireland’ campaign will comprise a range of activities, including a legal initiative to challenge the status quo on abortion; a political lobbying campaign and sustained programme of national and international advocacy.
Announcing details of the campaign, the IFPA’s Chairperson, Catherine Forde said, “this campaign is of unique significance, as it represents the first major initative aimed at moving forward on abortion in this country. Previous campaigns on abortion have always been lead by anti-choice groups seeking further regressive and unworkable responses to 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 others 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.
The IFPA’s ‘Safe and Legal in Ireland’ campaign is all about ending the hypocrisy of exiling women in crisis pregnancy that choose to have an abortion. Last month, UK Ministry for Health statistics showed that 6,217 women who travelled from Ireland had abortions in England in 2004. From the IFPA’s own post abortion medical and counselling services, we know that potentially hundreds more women secured abortion services in countries such as the Netherlands, France and Spain last year. This highlights the hypocrisy of our legal ban on abortion, which is among the most restrictive in the world.
“Since its foundation, the IFPA has always challenged the restrictions that have prevented women and men making choices about the spacing of their children and caring for their own health. When we first opened our doors as a service provider and advocacy organisation in 1969, our great challenge was making contraception available. After decades of dealing with women with crisis pregnancy, we have decided to make our campaign for safe and legal abortions services in Ireland a priority. And we are confident that this campaign will have results.
“The campaign components have been endorsed by the Board of the IFPA in our Strategic Plan, and we are very pleased that Ivana Bacik, will be its main spokesperson,” said Catherine Forde.
In addition to unveiling the campaign, the IFPA also published its comprehensive policy position on abortion. Within the 13-point policy, the IFPA calls for the removal of Article 40.3.3 from the Constitution and says that abortion is a decision that should be made by a woman in consultation with her medical advisor. The IFPA also says that abortion is not an appropriate method of family planning and it should therefore only act as a solution to a crisis rather than as a means of regulating a woman’s fertility.
The Safe and Legal in Ireland Campaign
Detailing the specific elements of the ‘Safe and Legal in Ireland’ campaign, Spokesperson, Ivana Bacik, said, “the campaign components that we are announcing today are – we hope – just the start of what will become a very significant movement for legal abortion in Ireland. Over the coming weeks, months and even years, we intend to mobilise people on this issue and secure political commitments in advance of the next general election about moving forward on abortion.”
European Court: Legal Initiative
As a core activity of the campaign, the IFPA is facilitating a group of three women to challenge the Irish Government’s ban on abortion in the European Court of Human Rights.
Yesterday (8.08.05) a group of women living in Ireland – all of whom have had recent experience of a crisis pregnancy – lodged a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Their complaint centres around four Articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. These include Article 8 with regard to the right of privacy in all family, home and personal interests, and entitlement to no public interference from any public authority in exercising this right; Article 3 which protects individuals from ‘inhuman or degrading treatment’; Article 2 which affords protection of the law to safe-guard the life of an individual and Article 14 which affords rights and freedoms without discrimination on any grounds.
“The IFPA has provided these women with the legal research and support to enable them to take this important case to the European Court. It is our assessment that the grounds under which these woman are taking the case are very strong, and we hope that the case will advance quickly through the Court, ultimately making a strong recommendation to the Government to address what, in our view, is a violation of human rights,” said Ms Bacik.
The identity of the three women will remain confidential as it proceeds through the European Court of Human Rights.
Political Lobbying
The IFPA will be seeking a meeting with the leaders of each of the political parties over the coming months to explain the rationale for safe and legal abortion, with a view to securing a commitment to move forward on the issue should they form part of the Government after the next general election.
According to Ivana Bacik, “last month, Minister for State at the Department of Justice, Frank Fahey, appeared before a UN Committee on Discrimination against Women, and stated that this Government has no intention of changing the legal status on abortion. This complacent response will be challenged, as there is a responsibility – at the very least – to provide a legal framework for the Supreme Court ruling in the 1992 X Case.
“In the past, those seeking to further restrict Ireland’s abortion laws have secured meetings at senior Government level, followed by commitments to tighten the law. Public opinion, most recently in the 2002 referendum, has shown that the Irish people do not want to move backwards. We hope, and expect that in our campaign for safe and legal abortion, people like the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and other party leaders will respond in a rational way.”
National and International Advocacy
In preparation for the launch of the ‘Safe and Legal in Ireland’ campaign, the IFPA has been working with other pro-choice organisations to build support for our agenda.
“The response to date has been very positive, and we will now be extending this movement of support to include the wider community, including young politically active people who are anxious to see a realistic response to abortion in Ireland,” said Ivana Bacik.
Among some of the international work that is already planned, the IFPA and some Irish women who have had abortions will take part in hearings on abortion in the European Parliament in October.
Over the coming weeks, the IFPA will launch its campaign web-site, which will provide details of how the public can get involved, either through becoming a campaign activist or donating money.
“There are many, especially policy makers and politicians, who will not welcome this campaign for safe and legal abortion, because of the many bitter and divisive rows that have gone before on this issue. However, this campaign is unique and different, as it is the first campaign that has been lead outside of a referendum which looks to move forward on abortion,” concluded Ms Bacik.
|
national |
rights, freedoms and repression |
press release
Tuesday August 09, 2005 17:28
by Niav
printable version
Digg this
del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Technorati
Facebook
Gab
Twitter
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (16 of 16)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16I'm delighted to hear of this campaign - it 's desperately needed.
Editors - this should be made a feature - it's important!
Certainly isn't safe for the aborted child is it?
i think its about time that abortion laws were changed to give irish women the rights and options available to other european women. crisis pregnancy is difficult enough to deal with, without having to go to a foriegn country for an abortion.
Was great to see this initiative getting going, when I read it in the Irish Examiner I could almost hear the so called "pro lifers" foaming at the mouth.
No doubt they will be screaming their usual rubbish to maintain the anti choice status quo. Heres to sucess for the campaign and freedom for mna na hEireann to control their own reproductive systems.
Mid-way through the press conference about 6 members of Youth
Defence attempted to break into the room. They were noisy but unsuccessful
and left after about 10 minutes.
Policy One
Women, faced with unwanted or problematic pregnancies, should be assisted by way of non-directive pregnancy counselling and the provision of services or treatment, within the State.
Policy Two
Article 40.3.3, equating the life of the unborn with the life of the pregnant woman, should be removed in full. Safe and legal abortion services should be introduced.
Policy Three
It is for the woman to decide, in consultation with her chosen medical advisors, whether or not to continue with her pregnancy.
Policy Four
As an immediate and interim measure, legislation should be introduced to give effect to the X Case, where the Supreme Court found that termination is permissible if it is established that there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother.
Policy Five
The standard required for a determination of the risk of suicide should be consistent and uniform for pregnant women as for the rest of the population.
Policy Six
The Regulation of Information Act 1995 should be amended to allow the service providers to give appropriate information in a manner best suited to the needs of the client. The legislation is outmoded, as the impact of the internet has made it possible to bypass pregnancy information and counselling services. Pregnancy advice and counselling services which do not provide the contact details of abortion service providers are not restricted in any way.
Policy Seven
Statutory regulation for all pregnancy advice and counselling services should be brought forward prescribing minimum codes of practice and standards, to ensure that they do not impart misleading and incorrect advice.
Policy Eight
Abortion is not an appropriate method of family planning. It should be viewed, therefore, as a solution to a "crisis" (an unwanted or problematic pregnancy) rather than as a means of regulating one's fertility, in accordance with the statement agreed at the International Conference on Population and Development.
Policy Nine
As the law stands minors or those in the care or control of the State do not have the right to travel abroad on the same basis as other citizens. This is due to the restrictions created by the C case on the courts authorising travel abroad for a termination for these groups. Minors and those in the care or control of the State should have the right to travel abroad on the same basis as other citizens.
Policy Ten
The near total ban on abortion, such as that which exists in Ireland, does not prevent women from seeking abortions. It has a discriminatory effect on those women who face particular barriers to accessing services abroad (women living in poverty, young women, migrant and asylum-seeking women, and those in the care or control of the State). This results in increased delay, expense, unnecessary hardship and stigma.
Policy Eleven
Abortion is a health issue which should be regulated by health guidelines and not by way of criminal statutes or constitutional provisions, except where such provisions exist explicitly to protect women’s health.
Policy Twelve
In no circumstances is it appropriate to criminalise women who terminate or attempt to terminate their own pregnancies. This is currently a criminal offence under Irish law and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Policy Thirteen
Reproductive rights are human rights. Ireland’s ban on abortion is in contravention of its commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights, and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention of Human Rights.
Is there anybody concerned with the on going exploitation of our young men and women of child bearing age? There are a near two hundred and fifty thousand less young people under twenty years of age in Ireland today, than in 1984, despite a growth in our population. This follows on an annual birth rate collapse of over two million in the former EU15 than in the early 1960s, despite massive immigration. In a secular society it appears that short term gain is what it is all about.
Europe had their Celtic Tiger economies in the 70s and 80s. The wealth created is in the hands of a few and they will flee with their wealth. The young people that created the good times are now getting old. Discount the wealth of a childless nation and you get zero value. Problems are surfacing in the face of a smaller youth generation: funding of pensions; security of lifestyle etc. Remember what happened the Unionists in Northern Ireland in the face of a much higher birth rate among the Republicans. Europe is becoming an Old Aged Society, a society that hogged a great proportion of the world's wealth and now appears rich because of past expoltation of resources worldwide, past colonizers, unfair trade restrictions etc. It is young people that defend a civilisation. Get rid of the young, a race is wide open to exploitation by others. Note it is allready happening. Europe is getting afraid, it is turning into a world of spies, a police state in the frantic efforts to protect itself. There is a another path!
Europe has made a huge mistake in going too far down the road of liberalism. Ireland with all this practical mess in the EU should be more aware of legalising abortion and should pull themselves together and tackle the lifestyle that leads women to take such extreme measures. The youth in Ireland have the power, they should make sure that they are not the ones left to carry the can i.e. no young people to give them a pleasant old age. Don't carry on the decaying life decisions of former generations!
Make a case for legal rights (EU commission style), individualism, what ever rights you think off and you might have an excuse to carry on with abortions etc. But will this be enought to stop the hoards of disinchanted youth from others areas of the wotld from attacking you, those youths who are suffering penury through bad decisions of your fore fathers(remember the Battle of the Boyne syndrome)! Note, the attacks have already begun. A little aside, Ireland is the only country in the capitalist world that demographically have the young men (20-40 yrs) to go to war!
I try to add to this debate by calling a spade a spade!
I think that there is a definite possibility that the legalisation of abortion will eventually develop to a stage whereby it is used as a means of contraception. The fact that a crisis pregnancy has been classified as "unwanted" leaves it wide open for anyone to claim grounds for a "safe and legal" abortion. Abortion should only ever be used as a final resort. I believe that this will just add fuel to the rapidly developing self-serving nature of people in our atavistic society.
1.Is this a campaign for legalised abortion at any time up to birth? If not, what *exactly* is it for?
2. If abortion isn't family planning, why is the Irish *Family Planning* Association leading this campaign and referring to "the restrictions that have prevented women and men making choices about the spacing of their children"?
3. If "this campaign is unique and different, as it is the first campaign that has been lead [sic] outside of a referendum which looks to move forward on abortion", how is that as part of the campaign "the IFPA calls for the removal of Article 40.3.3 from the Constitution "?
4. "Abortion is a health issue which should be regulated by health guidelines and not by way of criminal statutes or constitutional provisions, except where such provisions exist explicitly to protect women’s health." In other words, "the unborn have no rights at all under any circumstances"?
5. "In no circumstances is it appropriate to criminalise women who terminate or attempt to terminate their own pregnancies." Is the campaign in favour of eugenic and gender-selective abortion? Is it in favour of partial-birth abortions?
You can formulate all sorts of very complex moral questions to camoflage your position but it basically comes down to whether or not you think the state should be able to force any pregnant women to remain pregnant for up to nine months even when she is very certain this is not what she wants.
Niav "They were noisy but unsuccessful "
Seems to kinda sum up youth defence in so many ways!
Krossie
As a father of a then unwanted and very much unexpected child I can safely say that I am not in favour of abortion. At 19 years old I found myself facing perenthood with my 17 year old girlfriend. The discussion about our options lasted all of 10 seconds and went something like this "I dont want an abortion". "Good".
At the time she was just about to sit her leaving cert and I was just finished year one of college, decisions about the future had to be made and they were. Now we have a beautful 8 year old daughter. While the relationship didnt last and the breakup was, at the least speeded up, by the pressure of having a child it is a decision that I could not imagine making any other way.
But saying all that who am I to decide for other people? Parenthood is a tough and longterm job, perhaps there are others who just couldnt and dont want to take it on. But is abortion really the answer? In a country such as Ireland with so many couples unable to have children shouldnt adoption be considered? Therefore protecting the life of both mother and child.
Of course there is many factors in this and Im not going to claim to have the answers however there is no doubt in my mind that abortion would become a form of contraception for many, many people if it was made available in Ireland. That is something that I very much dont want to see happen.
So for the purpose of here and now Im going to go with the theory that abortions should be allowed based on physical health issues.
Note: I am not, I repeat not, in agreement with Youth defence. their bully boy, lets shout at everyone, methods in my opinion alienate support rather than improve it. I have seen them surround, outnumber and shout abuse at people merely because the person dared challenge them.
And whats with the pictures? The only people offended by them are parents and young children. the very people that are obviously not abortionists.
In my opinion those pictures are clearly offensive (and of a currently illegal act) and shouldnt be allowed.
1.Is this a campaign for legalised abortion at any time up to birth? If not, what *exactly* is it for?
This campaign is for safe and legal abortion services in Ireland. I am personally in favour of abortion on demand. Late abortions comprise the minority of abortions in the UK. 88% of women seeking abortions in the UK in 2004 did so in the first 12 weeks. (60% in the first 10 weeks).
Because Irish women have to travel to Britain to obtain an abortion, statistics show that they do so at a later stage of their pregnancy than their British counterparts. Because women in Ireland have to travel for abortions to Britain, the financial strain is considerable. At present the cost of a termination in the UK for an early abortion (between 7 – 14 weeks) varies from €650 - €750, depending on the location of the clinic and the service provider. In addition, women in Ireland have to cover the cost of travelling by air or ferry as well as an overnight stay. This amount of money is rarely immediately available to women in poverty or low paying jobs, students, asylum seekers and women raising children alone. Women travelling to London on Saturday, 6th August for terminations would be required to pay €1010 to cover flights to Heathrow, one night’s accommodation in a budget hotel and abortion service fees.
2. If abortion isn't family planning, why is the Irish *Family Planning* Association leading this campaign and referring to "the restrictions that have prevented women and men making choices about the spacing of their children"?
The IFPA are leading the campaign because if abortion was legalised in Ireland the IFPA would provide abortion services.
3. If "this campaign is unique and different, as it is the first campaign that has been lead [sic] outside of a referendum which looks to move forward on abortion", how is that as part of the campaign "the IFPA calls for the removal of Article 40.3.3 from the Constitution "?
Article 40.3.3, equating the life of the unborn with the life of the pregnant woman, has to be removed from the Constitution in order to introduce legal abortion services in Ireland.
-----------------------------------------------------------
“But saying all that who am I to decide for other people? Parenthood is a tough and longterm job, perhaps there are others who just couldnt and dont want to take it on. But is abortion really the answer? In a country such as Ireland with so many couples unable to have children shouldnt adoption be considered?”
There are no right or wrong decisions when you are faced with a crisis pregnancy. I’m pro-choice. I believe it is a woman’s right to choose what to do in a crisis pregnancy situations – parenting, adoption or abortion. Since there is a ban on abortion in Ireland, there is a need for pro-choice groups to advocate for the right to safe, legal abortion in Ireland.
I’m glad your happy with the decision you made but the fact is that of the approximately 10,0000 women who face an unplanned and unexpected pregnancy in Ireland, in 2004, 6,217 Irish women travelled to the UK for abortions. Irish women also travelled to other European countries such as France, Netherlands, Spain etc… Irish women need to have abortion services in Ireland and should be forced to leave the country in order to terminate a pregnancy.
"Of course there is many factors in this and Im not going to claim to have the answers however there is no doubt in my mind that abortion would become a form of contraception for many, many people if it was made available in Ireland. That is something that I very much dont want to see happen."
Abortion is not an appropriate form of family planning and I seriously doubt it would become a form of contraception. In purely monetary terms - why would you pay five hundred euros for a termination, when 12 euros gets you a box of condoms? Abortion is a solution to a crisis pregnancy.
"why would you pay five hundred euros for a termination, when 12 euros gets you a box of condoms" - exactly. Why didnt they use condoms and the pill? Not 100% I know and its possible that a person could get pregnant despite these precautions but if precautions fail and you get an abortion isnt that a form of contraception? Similar to the morning after pill? We are not talking about someone who didnt know the consequences of their actions and while I hate to say it, if your big enough to have the fun then you should be big enough to face the consequences.
Also, while this always brings out the rage in women, I must ask. Doesnt the father have some say? Actually I know the answer, he doesnt. but shouldnt he? Its his child as well. In Ireland there is this opinion going around that unmarried fathers couldnt care less but there are many out there that want to be active parents, many more that would gladly take responsibility for raising a child, on their own if they must however when it comes to Irish family law there is onloy one rule.
You made the baby, you must pay for the baby but you have no say in its life whatsover.
" Why didnt they use condoms and the pill?" says the last comment.
Well, in the case of some of the women, at least, it was because they were raped, and rapists aren't known for their progressive attitudes to family planning or sexually transmitted disease. Of course, if you believe in women being forced into compulsory pregnancy, then you'll have a problem with the IFPA's campaign.
Do you know anyone that has been raped? I know 2 and both rapists wore condoms. The majority are very aware of contraception. It means there is no DNA evidence.
Your arguement falls flat on its face so dont make up statistics or muddy the water by throwing in incest or rape. They are the vast, vast minority of abortion cases.
the comments that women NEED abortion in Ireland is wrong. If a woman actually NEEDS an abortion they can have them in Ireland. Its only convenience abortions that are illegal here.
Can you explain why abortion is a prefared method of dealing with an unwanted pregnancy than adoption? Adoption allows for both parent and child to live healthy lives without ever even meeting. Abortion sacrafices the child because it was inconvenient.