[NextGenderation]
Emergency protest
â as MPs vote on womenâs abortion rights
Tuesday 20 May, 5.30pm
Defend 24 Weeks
No reduction in abortion time limit
Old Palace Yard, outside Parliament â opposite St.
Stephenâs Entrance
Tube: Westminster
On Tuesday 20 May, members of parliament will debate
and vote on the anti-abortion amendments to the Human
Embryology and Fertilisation Bill. The key amendments
aim to lower the time limit for abortion. This vote is
taking place much earlier than expected and with very
little notice. In the limited time available, it is
vital that everyone who supports a womanâs right to
choose does everything they can to show their
opposition to any reduction in the time limit. Please
attend this crucial protest â and encourage your
trade union, womenâs group, student union or other
organisation to send a presence.
We say: women must come first.
There is no significant scientific or medical support
for any reduction in the time limit. Yet a handful of
anti-abortionists are using downright propaganda and
misinformation, hoping to intimidate and mislead MPs
into attacking womenâs rights. An overwhelming
majority of the public supports the right to choose:
MPs should uphold choice and vote down amendments by
Nadine Dorries and any anti-abortion MPs.
Less than two per cent of abortions take place after
20 weeks. If successful, a lowering of the abortion
time limit would be devastating for a small number of
women in difficult, unforeseeable and individual
circumstances and would encourage further
anti-abortion attacks. Contrary to anti-abortion hype,
research shows there has been no increase in survival
rates for births under 24 weeks. There is opposition
to any lowering of the time limit from the British
Medical Association, Royal College of Obstetricians
and Gynaecologists, British Association of Perinatal
Medicine, Royal College of Nursing, TUC and national
trade unions, the Department of Health and MPs across
all three major parliamentary political parties.
Write to your MP
If you haven't already, now is the time to write to,
email, phone or visit your MP in advance of the vote
on 20th May to urge them to vote against any amendment
to lower the abortion time limit. A model letter and
information on how to identify and contact your MP is
available on the campaign website
www.abortionrights.org.uk
Funds needed
Abortion Rights urgently needs financial support in
organising this protest and in covering the costs of
the campaign that has been organised. You can help by
making a donation online or by cheque to âAbortion
Rightsâ and encouraging your organisation to do so.
You can also help by joining and by your organisation
affiliating to Abortion Rights.
www.abortionrights.org.uk
