Women’s Human Rights Alliance (Ireland) Oral Statement 19th Session of the UN Human Rights Council M

Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Madame President,

The Women's Human Rights Alliance is an alliance of human rights organisations and individuals promoting the human rights of women in Ireland.

1. We welcome the Irish Governments' acceptance of a number of important recommendations from the UPR hearing in October 2011.

1.1 We are, however, greatly concerned by the rejection of six recommendations on Ireland's restrictive regulation of abortion. These recommendations echo the criticisms made by three UN treaty bodies and the recent call by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health for the decriminalization of abortion . Their rejection casts serious doubt on Ireland's commitment to women's reproductive health rights.

Click here to read Jacqueline Healy's speaking note in full.....