The passage of last week’s highly restrictive bill banning almost all abortions in Alabama sparked strong reactions in the United States. It also, however, resonated abroad, and particularly in the United Kingdom, where at least one population is intimately familiar with the experience of living under such a restrictive law.

The controversial debate on Malta’s stringent abortion laws has shifted from Facebook forums to the highest levels of politics just in time for the European election.

Ireland’s new legislation leaves many behind. There is a stigmatising and non evidence-based mandatory waiting period, sparse provision in certain parts of the country, doctors interpreting the law overly cautiously for fear of criminal sanctions. And a cut-off period of less than 12 weeks of pregnancy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   5 June 2019   Charities warn that anti-choice groups in Malta are targeting women with “lies and misinformation” to prevent them accessing legal abortion care overseas   Charities raise their concerns after hearing reports of anti-abortion groups obstructing women’s access to legal abortion care through intimidation and misinformation. Women have reported…

“There are currently several initiatives being taken to improve reproductive rights in Northern Ireland, but none of these are set in stone; it is long past time for the Government to apologise to A and B for what they have been through and to commit to lasting change for all women in Northern Ireland.”

RECENTLY women in Gibraltar and Malta got a Valentine’s Day gift from Manx people they don’t know and will likely never meet. This was no empty, romantic gesture. Rather than chocolates, flowers, perfume or jewellery they will receive practical help in abortion related crises.

If abortion is illegal in Malta, aren’t ASN breaking the law?

For Mara Clarke, the founder of women’s charity Abortion Support Network (ASN), the ultimate victory would be for her organisation to no longer be needed. “For us, victory would be to shut down, and for the phone to stop ringing.”

January was not as busy as usual for Mara Clarke. Typically, the London-based founder of the Abortion Support Network [ASN] gets a large number of calls from women needing help to travel to Britain to terminate a pregnancy.