U.N. Committee against Torture: Ireland Must Ensure Access to Lawful Abortion

In May, the U.N.
Committee against Torture reviewed the Republic of Ireland’s initial periodic report.
The Committee’s concluding
observations reiterated
the European
Court for Human Rights’ concerns
expressed in its judgment in the case of A, B, and
C v. Ireland ,
to which the Center for Reproductive Rights, and their partner, submitted a friend-of-the-court brief.

Abortion is
banned in Ireland except when a woman’s life is in danger, and the Irish
legislature has failed to establish criteria in legislation for when this
exception for life-threatening conditions applies. The Committee expressed
concerns over Ireland’s lack of effective and accessible procedures to
establish “whether some pregnancies pose a real and substantial medical risk to
the life of the [pregnant woman].”   Furthermore, the Committee found that,
legislation being vague, both woman and provider being at risk of criminal
repercussions along with the absence of an appeal process, may “raise issues
that constitute a breach of the Convention.” The Committee specifically cited concerns
for vulnerable populations, such as minors, migrant women, and women living in
poverty.

The
Committee urged Ireland to adopt a clear legal framework with respect to the scope
of legal abortion, and to ensure adequate procedures are in place  to challenge differing medical opinions and to
provide “adequate services for carrying out abortions” in the state.

The Center
welcomes this initiative and urges Ireland to take immediate action to implement
the U.N. Committee’s recommendations and expand access to safe and legal
abortion.