Coalition to Repeal the 8th Amendment: We need an immediate referendum

Published: Monday, September 08, 2014

Last October, twelve women's and civil society organisations released a joint statement highlighting the detrimental impact that Article 40.3.3 has had on women in Ireland, and calling for its repeal. Shortly afterwards, the Coalition to Repeal the Eighth Amendment was launched.

On Saturday 06 September in the Gresham Hotel the coalition will bring together a broad range of groups and organisations, academics, legal and medical practitioners and activists to discuss the building of a coalition to campaign for an immediate referendum to repeal the eight amendment from the Irish constitution.

Commenting Orla O’Connor, Director of National Women’s Council of Ireland said: “160,000 women have been forced to travel since the insertion of Article 40.3.3 into the Constitution. Consistently opinion polls have shown that the Irish public want greater access to abortion services in Ireland. It is time to take women’s health and reproductive choices out of the Constitution and place them firmly where they belong, in the hands of women. Removing the Eighth amendment is critical for respecting and recognising women’s rights.”

Conference organiser Ailbhe Smyth said: “The introduction of the Eighth amendment into the Irish constitution was a grave mistake, and continues to be a mistake and a source of hardship and discrimination for women living in Ireland. Today’s conference is an important opportunity for a wide range of groups and organisations to come together to build a serious campaign for referendum to take 40.3.3 out of the Irish constitution.”

Co-conference organiser, Sinéad Kennedy also commented: “The Eighth amendment is a source of discrimination against women but it particularly affects marginalised women who have suffered disproportionately; migrant women, women with little or no income, women who are unable to travel for whatever reason, women facing a crisis pregnancy and women who need an abortion for medical reasons. We are calling on the government to give an immediate commitment to call a referendum to repeal the eighth amendment and to give women living in Ireland full control over their reproductive choices.”

ENDS
For comment / clarification contact:
Sarah Clarkin, Communications at NWCI, 085-8589104
Ailbhe Smyth 087-2055433
Sinéad Kennedy 087-7712160