Today, 30th November 2016, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) welcomes the Government decision to offer compensation to Amanda Mellet for rights violations caused by Ireland’s restrictive abortion law.
This follows a landmark ruling in June 2016 by the United Nations Human Rights Committee that the denial of abortion services in Ireland which forced Ms Mellet to travel to access abortion services outside the state amounted to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and a violation of her human rights.
IFPA Counselling Director, Evelyn Geraghty said “The ruling from the Human Rights Committee in June echoes what the IFPA hears on a daily basis in our pregnancy counselling services. Criminalising abortion and forcing women to travel abroad to access safe abortion services is cruel, inhuman and degrading.”
IFPA CEO Niall Behan said, “As Ireland’s leading provider of non-directive, non-judgmental pregnancy counselling, we welcome today’s announcement of compensation to Ms Mellet. The recognition by the Government of the harms imposed by Irish abortion law is hugely significant.”
Mr Behan said, “The UN Committee has also ordered the Government to reform Irish abortion law to ensure that other women do not face similar human rights violations and to guarantee effective, timely and accessible procedures for abortion in Ireland.
“Telling the UN about the Citizens’ Assembly is an entirely inadequate policy response. To prevent further harms and protect women’s rights, the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution must be repealed, and the law reformed to provide for access to abortion services in Ireland.”
ENDS
Contact: Áine Travers, IFPA Communications Officer
E: aine.travers@ifpa.ie T: 01 607 4456 M: 086 795 2167
About the IFPA
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) is Ireland’s leading pregnancy counselling provider, delivering over 3,000 counselling services each year. The IFPA provides free and confidential pregnancy and post-abortion counselling, delivered by accredited and trained counsellors, at 11 locations nationwide. The IFPA also provides a comprehensive range of medical and education and training services.