With the EU’s 30-day travel ban set to limit access to abortion, activists are fighting for the legalisation of abortion telemedicine
On October 21 last year, women in Ireland celebrated. After a long and exhausting battle, abortion services were finally legalised across the entire island. The decision not only lifted the heavy weight of shame placed over women seeking abortion services, but made them accessible for all. But as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps its way across Europe, this access is being threatened.
Yesterday the EU announced a 30-day ban on all non-essential travel. This will gravely impact scores of women across Northern Ireland, as they’re currently still required to travel to mainland UK to access abortion services.
With this in mind, abortion rights groups across Ireland are calling for the legalisation of telemedicine abortions – to allow home use of abortion medication.
Backed by Alliance for Choice – the Abortion Rights Campaign & Abortion Support Network – these groups believe telemedicine will provide a safe way to support abortion seekers throughout the coronavirus crisis.
The initiative would allow women to talk to a clinician via a video conference platform, before having abortion medication sent directly to their homes.
Speaking of the need to implement such an initiative in this emergency period, Cathie Shiels, co-convenor for Abortion Rights Campaign, said, ‘We are concerned that a 30 day travel ban will have long lasting consequences for people on this island who have, until now, been able to rely on travelling to Great Britain to access services denied to them here.’
Addressing the additional 12-week cut-off point for abortion imposed on women in Ireland, Emma Campbell, co-convenor of Alliance for Choice Belfast, has also made calls for travel to access abortion services to be deemed ‘essential travel’:
She expanded, ‘We would urge abortion providers to recognise the risk to life and health that those with the virus are facing, and work with them to ensure the best standard of care.’
The post Irish women call for over-the-internet abortion amidst coronavirus travel ban appeared first on Marie Claire.
from Marie Claire https://ift.tt/2QquSuF
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment