The Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe, Latvian American Nils Muiznieks, released a new report that promotes access to abortion on demand for all of Europe- Women's sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe.

 

The report, officially called an "Issue Paper", expresses views on abortion that are normally reserved for pro-abortion organizations and activists and for good reason. The paper was prepared for the commissioner by four employees of pro-abortion legal and policy organization, the Center for Reproductive Rights.

While the report is critical of laws that seek to reduce the number of abortions, it expresses its strongest opposition to new attempts to strengthen laws and policies against abortion calling such actions "retrogressive restrictions". The Summary includes: "In some member states, laws and policies have sought to roll back existing protections for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights, in particular through the introduction of retrogressive restrictions on access to abortion and contraception..."

Commonsense policies to help ensure that women are fully informed before undergoing the life-ending and life-altering act of abortion are considered "legislative retrogression". The paper states, "Mandatory waiting periods and biased counselling requirements prior to abortion are particularly common examples of these newly imposed, retrogressive procedural barriers that undermine women's health and human rights."

An associated web page-Women's sexual and reproductive health and rights in Europe, We Have to Act Now- has been set up by the commissioner.

Read more from PNCI here.

The Irish Oireachtas committee that is tasked with making recommendations on the country's abortion laws has voted to recommend abortion on demand be legalized for the first trimester. By a vote of 14-6, the committee voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment, which protects the right to life from conception and remove all reference of abortion from Ireland's constitution. Suggestions to limit abortion to cases of rape, incest, and fetal anomaly were rejected by claims they would be too complex to legislate. The recommendations also include the availability of abortion pills. The vote results will go into the committee's final report which is expected later this month. Health Minister Simon Harris plans to use the recommendations as a basis for legislation to be introduced in early 2018, which would then go to a national referendum later in the year. 

Following a long and contentious debate, the New South Wales Upper House rejected a bill to legalize assisted suicide. Members, who were given a conscience vote, rejected the bill by a close vote of 19-20. The private members bill, sponsored by MP Trevor Kahn, would have permitted terminally ill patients to kill themselves with the assistance of a doctor. The long debate included many emotional speeches by members on both sides of the issues. MP Fred Nile warned the bill was a dangerous move. "How will such a bill, once passed, impact on how we see value in life?" he said. Supporters plan to reintroduce the legislation in parliament's next term. 

A Brazilian Congressional committee has approved a measure to ban abortions without any exceptions. Abortion is currently only permitted in the country in cases of rape, risk to the mother's life or if the unborn baby has anencephaly. The committee voted 18-1 to approve the constitutional amendment addressing maternity leave for mothers of premature babies that also specifies that the right to life should be "inviolate from the moment of conception". The legislation is facing strong opposition from abortion advocates and the UN Population Fund's Brazil office said it "poses an increased risk to women's health". The bill now awaits further action by Congress and will need two-thirds of the vote in both chambers to become law.

Bolivia's Legislative Assembly has voted to permit abortion on demand for the first eight weeks of pregnancy. The approved measure applies to "students, adolescents or girls", including minors and those dependent on their parents. Bolivia's current law only allows abortion in cases of rape or incest, life of the mother, or fetal handicap. Pro-life opposition led by the Catholic Church organized marches to protest the move. Pro-life organizer Luis Aruquipa said the legislation "encourages genocide". President Evo Morales has pledged to sign the legislation into law. 

A bill to ban the abortion of unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome has been sent to Ohio governor John Kasich for his signature. The Ohio General Assembly voted in support of the ban, Senate Bill 164, which passed the Ohio Senate a vote of 20-12. "We should not be making a judgment of one life being more valuable than another," said bill sponsor Sen. Frank LaRose. "To me, it's a question of medical ethics as much as what kind of society we want to live in." The Ohio House passed a similar measure in early November and the bill now awaits action by Governor John Kasich who has signed 18 abortion restrictions into law since 2011. Similar laws have been passed in North Dakota, Indiana and Louisiana. 

Canada's Minister of International Development, Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced $15.6 million in renewed support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) "to increase access to SRHR services in developing countries". Minister Bibeau stated, "Canada firmly believes that a woman's fundamental right to economic empowerment cannot be distinguished from her fundamental right to choose. When sexual and reproductive health and rights are respected, other rights become more accessible. With its Feminist International Assistance Policy and partners like UNFPA, Canada is committed to a comprehensive approach to the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls globally."