Dear Candidate,
This election is an important moment for candidates to show their commitment to women's health, well-being and human rights.
We call on candidates to pledge to:
Respect women’s right to choose abortion
Fulfil their obligations to protect women’s health and well being
Legislate in line with the December 2010 judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in The ABC cases. (As a signatory of the European Convention on Human Rights it is our responsibility to do so.)
Act quickly to ensure that no Irish woman has to go to court again to vindicate her right to choose to terminate her pregnancy.
Prioritise women's interests and resist threats from the well financed and politically connected rump of the anti-choice movement
Recognise that the majority of the Irish people have never voted to exclude abortion.
Recognise that anti-choice groups' claims that past referendums demonstrate the position of the majority of the Irish people are erroneous because:
In 1983, only 53.67 per cent of the electorate went to the polls. 66.9 per cent of these voted for the constitutional prohibition on abortion, but this means that the eighth amendment was put in place by only 35.9 per cent of the electorate.
In 1992, when the three referendums were held on the same day as a general election, the people voted to keep the threat to a woman’s life from suicide as a ground for abortion in Ireland. They also voted to protect women’s right to choose to travel to have an abortion and for access to information on abortion.
In 2002, just over two in five of those eligible to vote went to the polls. The views of the majority of the electorate were not registered.
National and international Courts have recognised the importance of women's right to choose. Now it's your turn.
Sincerely,
Cork Women's Right to Choose Group
Email: cork.womens.right.to.choose@gmail.com
