In Ireland, a new campaign for the reproductive rights of women has been launched. Three women, known only as A, B and C, have filed a legal challenge to the Catholic nation’s strict anti-abortions laws – implemented in 1861 – with the European Union’s Court of Human Rights. These three women, like thousands of other Irish women a year, were forced to travel outside of Ireland to obtain an abortion. They state that this is a violation of their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights, including the protection against inhumane or degrading treatment and the guarantee of their rights and freedoms without discrimination. If the court finds Ireland’s abortion laws to be in violation of the Convention on Human Rights, the country will face significant pressure to reform these laws. Other countries with similar restrictions on access to abortions – including Poland, Spain and Malta – could be next. The European Court of Human Rights is expected to issue it’s ruling in 2010.
Tags: abortion, European convention on human rights, European court of human rights, European Union, Ireland
