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Sectioning of a young girl described as “concerning” by National Women’s Council of Ireland

Published: Monday, June 12, 2017

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) described reports in the Irish Times of a girl who was refused an abortion, and subsequently sectioned as “extremely concerning.”

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said,

“This morning’s reports that a young girl was sectioned after requesting an abortion is an extremely concerning case, and one which highlights the very distressing and damaging impact of Ireland’s abortion laws.”

“NWCI has consistently highlighted the medical unworkability of the Eighth Amendment, and the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act. We know that in 2016 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed deep concern at Ireland’s abortion laws, and their impact on children’s lives. Their Concluding Observations on Ireland explicitly recommended that abortion be decriminalised in all circumstances so as to ensure that children have access to safe abortion services and post-abortion care services. Crucially, the Committee recommended that the views of the pregnant girl are always heard and respected in abortion decisions.”

Orla O’Connor concluded,

“Women and girls must be supported in all decisions they make in pregnancy, whether they decide to continue a pregnancy, or if they require an abortion. Ireland must hold a referendum to remove the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution and introduce legislation in line with the vast majority of developed countries around the world. This must involve the removal of all criminal sanctions on women and the introduction of healthcare legislation that mandates compassionate professional services as required.”

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