Those opposing the move to treat abortion as a health matter rather than a crime have made their views known — loudly. The NSW Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019, a long-overdue reform, was passed by the Legislative Council, 26 to 15. A major pro-choice rally is being organised for September 15, two days days before amendments will be debated.
Abortion
It is well past time for legislative change when it comes to abortion rights. If women are not to live with the fear of repressive and discriminatory legislation governing the choices they make over their bodies, immediate progressive reform is essential, writes Carmen Espinosa.
As an abortion provider, pro-choice advocate and a woman who has undergone abortion in New South Wales, I support the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill.
Even with the best access to sex education, contraception and emergency contraception (which NSW does not have), there is no pro-active way for people engaged in potentially reproductive sex but not prepared for parenthood to guarantee they will not become pregnant. Sometimes, planned pregnancies become impossible to continue, whether for health or personal reasons.
“It is simple, straight forward: stay out of the lives of women”, implored one Liberal MLA as debate in the NSW Legislative Assembly on a bill to decriminalise abortion entered its second day on August 7.
Eventually, after eleven and a half hours of debate, the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 was passed in the lower house 59 to 31 on August 8.
“It is simple, straight forward: stay out of the lives of women”, implored one Liberal MLA as debate in the Legislative Assembly on a bill to decriminalise abortion in NSW entered its second day on August 7.
Thank you Miranda Devine for your wild overreaction to the bill before NSW parliament to treat abortion as a health issue, as it will no doubt lose you and News.com a lot of support.
A decades-long feminist campaign to remove abortion from the anti-woman NSW Crimes Act is likely to take one more step towards victory with debate on a pro-choice private members' bill to begin in state parliament on August 6.
An abortion rights march was organised by high school students in Newcastle on July 21 wanting the health procedure to be removed from the Crimes Act in NSW.
The biggest and youngest and loudest abortion rights march for years was organised in Sydney on June 9.
The brutal face of hard right and fascist reaction has been on vivid display on the issues of women’s rights and the climate crisis in the past few weeks, writes Phil Hearse.
Legislative attacks on abortion rights in the US have escalated this year, as social conservatives have shifted tactics with an unprecedented wave of state abortion bans adopted.
The most restrictive legislation was signed into law by Alabama's governor on May 15. It bans abortion altogether, except for cases of medical emergency. Pregnancy resulting from sexual assault is no exception and doctors performing abortions are criminalised with penalties of up to 99 years in jail.
On International Women’s Day, March 8, 57 countries signed on to a United Nations’ statement calling for universal sexual and reproductive healthcare, including access to safe abortions, and comprehensive sexuality education.
Australia was not one of the signatories.
- Previous page
- Page 2
- Next page