Briefings and Responses

Voice for Choice challenges Equality and Human Rights Commissioner’s Bill, which violates human rights in pregnancy

Voice for Choice, the UK’s national coalition of pro-choice campaigning organisations, has submitted a complaint to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) regarding its Commissioner Lord Shinkwin. Lord Shinkwin has introduced a Private Members’ Bill this week that, if passed into law, would gravely violate fundamental human rights in pregnancy. Lord Shinkwin was appointed … Continued

Voice for Choice response to the General Election

Voice for Choice, the UK’s coalition of pro-choice organisations, urges the Government to ensure that any deal with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will not result in any further restriction on access to abortion, for women living in all UK nations. This year marks the 50th anniversary since the introduction of the Abortion Act. This … Continued

Tampon Tax Fund grant given to anti-abortion group

Over the weekend, the Observer reported that the Tampon Tax Fund (which is raised through the VAT on menstrual care products) includes a large grant (£250,000) to anti-abortion group Life. Life’s website clearly states that their vision is to make abortion ‘a thing of the past.’ It is therefore clear that the counselling service they provide … Continued

Interview with Professor Wendy Savage – a response to the Mail on Sunday

This weekend, the Mail on Sunday published an interview with Professor Wendy Savage, Press Officer for Doctors for a Woman’s Choice on Abortion and member of Voice for Choice. The Mail on Sunday chose to focus only on Professor Savage’s comments on ‘sex-selective’ abortion rather than report the majority of the discussion, in order to … Continued

Abortion Support Network submission to the Women & Equalities Select Committees on achieving SDG5

Written evidence submitted by practical support and financial assistance charity, Abortion Support Network   About Abortion Support Network (ASN) is a charity that provides financial assistance, accommodation and confidential, non-judgemental information to women forced to travel from Ireland and Northern Ireland and pay privately for abortions in England. The cost of this ranges from £400 … Continued

FPA submission to the Women & Equalities Committee enquiry into plans to acheive SDG5

Written evidence submitted by the sexual health charity, FPA About FPA is one of the UK’s leading sexual health charities. Our mission is to champion people’s right to sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing through advocacy, information, education and campaigning. We do this through providing evidence-based sexual health information to the public and professionals. FPA … Continued

Medical abortion in Northern Ireland – a response to poor BBC reporting

  On Thursday 27th October 2016 the BBC reported that another woman in Northern Ireland has been charged with using abortion pills. The article said almost nothing about the circumstances of the case, but included false and biased information about the risks of abortion medication and omitted important facts from experts and reputable sources. This briefing, clarifying the facts … Continued

Helpline launched for illegal abortion pills

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas) has launched a free telephone aftercare helpline for women in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man who have bought abortion medication online. Access to abortion services in these areas is currently highly restricted, meaning women who cannot travel for abortion treatment have no choice but to break the law … Continued

Rally For Choice: solidarity from VfC

As Chair of Voice for Choice the UK coalition to defend and extend abortion access, I would like to offer solidarity with the organisers of and participants in today’s Rally for Choice. The recent medical abortion prosecutions have highlighted once again the injustice of Northern Ireland’s prohibitive abortion law. We celebrate women’s access to safe … Continued

Abortion pills know no borders

This morning, June 21st, a drone carrying medical abortion pills was flown from the Republic of Ireland into Northern Ireland. For years we have argued that the abortion laws of the Republic and Northern Ireland are antiquated, immoral and dangerous. It is clear with the easy availability of safe medical abortion pills, internet access and now … Continued