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UN Human Rights Council review puts Ireland under obligation to improve human rights in terms of access to abortion

07/10/2011
On 06 October, the UN Human Rights Council responsible for addressing situations of human rights violations around the globe has taken a momentous stand for reproductive rights of Irish women and come up with a series of recommendations to the Government from more than 60 submissions from Irish civil society, as well as from the Irish Human Rights Commission.

Following these momentous events, IPPF Member Association of Ireland published the following press release:
 

PRESS RELEASE

UN Member States Stand up for Women’s Reproductive Rights in Ireland - Government commits to meet human rights obligations on abortion.


Dublin, 06 October 2011 - In a momentous day for women in Ireland, UN member states took a stand for Irish women’s reproductive rights today (06.10.11) at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva during an examination of Ireland’s domestic human rights record.

Member states refused to accept vague promises from Minister for Justice Alan Shatter on the abortion issue and demanded concrete legislative action. They also called for firm timelines on the implementation of the A, B & C v Ireland case at the European Court of Human Rights.  Other countries made strong recommendations to Ireland to liberalise its restrictive abortion laws.

In response to questions and recommendations at the hearing, the Minister for Justice made a commitment to deal with the abortion issue in an “adequate and comprehensive” way and to “meet our obligations under the convention of human rights”.

Irish Family Planning Association Chief Executive Niall Behan said: “Today was a momentous day for women in Ireland. It is heartening to see so many of our UN partners taking a stand for women’s reproductive rights at such an important human rights forum.

“The Minister must now not only outline the terms of references and timeline of the proposed expert group which the Government has promised in response to the A, B & C v Ireland judgment, he must also make a firm commitment to provide legislation for adequate abortion services and to give clarity to women and their doctors.”

At the hearing today, France and Germany pressed the Government for further information on the implementation of the A, B & C judgment. The UK called on Ireland to legislate for the A, B & C judgment and the Netherlands recommended the introduction of a coherent legal framework and the provision of adequate services.

Four countries (Slovenia, Norway, Denmark, Spain) called on Ireland to go beyond the A, B & C judgment and either decriminalise abortion or allow for abortion in the case of rape, incest and when a woman’s health and wellbeing are at risk.

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CONTACT: Fiona Tyrrell, Irish Family Planning Association Communications Officer, 00 353 1 607 4456 or 00353 86 7952167

 

Abortion in Ireland

Abortion is against the law in Ireland unless the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman. Since 1980, some 150,000 women have travel abroad to access safe abortion services. This highlights the hypocrisy of Ireland’s abortion regulations which are among the most restrictive in the world.

Ireland’s restrictive laws on abortion are totally out of step with those of its European neighbours. Forty four out of 47 European countries provide for abortion to protect women’s health. The overwhelming consensus throughout Europe allows for some access to legal abortion to protect a woman’s health and well-being, applying a more effective, less punitive approach than that which is in force in Ireland. 


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