[NextGenderation]
please forward widely
The struggle continues
for a woman's right to choose
The vote on 20th May in Parliament to defend the 1967 Abortion Act was a huge victory for women and the pro-choice movement in the face of a well-financed opposition. The active campaigning and lobbying of supportive organisations and thousands of pro-choice individuals was decisive in making sure women’s needs were understood by MPs.
Anti-abortionists have launched numerous attacks on women’s access to safe, legal abortion since the Act’s introduction 40 years ago. It is unfortunately already clear that, although defeated in parliament this May, they will not simply accept either the will of parliament or prevailing public opinion. All indications are that the anti-abortionists will continue their attempts to drive back women’s rights.
A visible and broad-based campaign will continue to be needed over the next period to prevent momentum growing behind the anti-abortionists' project to return with another attack on women's rights in parliament. We must keep up the pressure, with active campaigning and lobbying – from face to face discussion with MPs, letter writing, to protests and public meetings - to ensure that any renewed attack through to and after the next election is unsuccessful.
Supporting the rights women need
Forty years on, women still commonly face unfair and cruel barriers to accessing abortion. These include:
obstruction from a minority of anti-abortion doctors
a postcode lottery of delays in accessing NHS services
long journeys to registered abortion providers
misleading information and directive lobbying from anti-abortion ‘counselling’ services
legal barriers to accessing safe, legal abortion in Northern Ireland.
Access varies in different parts of Britain and between England, Scotland and Wales. Unfair barriers need to be addressed by changes in the law, enforcement of government and professional guidelines, and improvement in local service provision.
Abortion Rights is committed and working to achieving equal and free acess to safe, legal abortion for women on request.
We will support and encourage those in Parliament and in wider society who seek to advance the situation for women both during the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and beyond.
Next stages of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill: Parliamentary process - mid to late June
The main elements of the HFE Bill concerning assisted reproduction and the regulation and licensing of embryo use are still being discussed in the Public Bill Committee. This will be completed by 17 June.
Then the Bill will move into Report stage where further amendments on abortion may be taken.
After this, a final vote will be taken by the House of Commons on the whole Bill at Third Reading. Then the Bill will return to the House of Lords, where it began, for consideration as amended. Both Houses must agree on the final text and then the Bill proceeds to Royal Assent to become an Act of Parliament and law.
We need your help!
1) If you haven’t already, please email, write or phone your MP to thank them if they voted against anti-abortion amendments on 20th May, and to let them know what you think if they didn’t. Please follow the links to identify your MP and their contact details and to find out how your MP voted on the anti-abortion amendment to lower the abortion time limit to 22 weeks, despite there being no medical evidence to support a change.
Please also ask them to support improvements in the abortion law and access for women. You can be sure they will be hearing from the anti-abortion lobby and we need MPs to feel confident of support in their constituency to stand up for women’s rights.
2) The testimony of women who have needed later abortion has been very influential in defending against anti-abortion attacks. Evidence from women who have faced unfair barriers in accessing abortion will be important in campaigning for improvements in the law and access. If you are willing to tell your story either anonymously or publicly, please contribute to Abortion Rights’ pro-choice majority campaign website, get in touch by email or call us on 020 7923 9792.
3) Please encourage friends, colleagues and family to join Abortion Rights – together we’re stronger!
4) Our campaigning has clearly been essential and effective, but it needs to be paid for! We are calling on all supporters to help cover the costs of Abortion Rights’ campaigning and to secure the future sustainability of the organisation to defend and extend a women’s right to choose – please be as generous as possible. You can donate easily and securely on-line. No paypal account is required.
The efforts of supporters have been absolutely decisive. Please continue to support us in campaigning for a woman’s right to choose!
Louise Hutchins
Campaign Coordinator
www.abortionrights.org.uk
--
Abortion Rights
18 Ashwin Street
London
E8 3DL
t/f 020 7923 97 92
choice@???
www.abortionrights.org.uk
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Abortion Rights is the UK's grassroots organisation leading the campaign
to defend and extend women's rights to abortion. We are building a pro-choice
movement to oppose any restrictions in women's current rights and access to
abortion, to advance the current UK abortion law, and to improve women's
access to and experience of abortion.
To add your support please visit our website
www.abortionrights.org.uk
or add your voice to
www.prochoicemajority.org.uk
