Earlier this week Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year old woman died because she was denied abortions after she and her husband requested it repeatedly. The reason: Catholic Ireland did not consider it a mandatory medical procedure that has to be available for all women who may need it. You can read more about it here.

The International Campaign has drafted a letter to protest this death. Please use the template below and join the worldwide protest against this denial of a basic human right.

SOLIDARITY REQUEST:

Protest the death of Savita Halappanavar in Ireland

PLEASE SIGN AND SEND THE E-MAIL BELOW TO THE FOLLOWING:

To: Taoiseach Enda Kenny (Irish Prime Minister)

cc: Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore (Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs)

E-mails:

taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie
enda.kenny@oireachtas.ie
eamon.gilmore@oir.ie

Copy also to the Irish Embassy in your country. Find contact details here: http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=285

Re: Death of Savita Halappanavar in Galway

Honourable Taoiseach,

We are writing to you to express our concern about the recent death of Savita Halappanavar, who was repeatedly denied an abortion in Galway. This tragic case demonstrates once again that the prohibition of abortion in Ireland is not just undermining the autonomy of the women across the country, it is leading to unacceptable suffering and even death.

Savita Halappanavar made repeated requests for an abortion after presenting at University Hospital Galway on 21 October while miscarrying during the 17th week of her pregnancy. Her requests were refused, and she died one week later after several days in agonising pain and distress.

The situation of Savita Halappanavar provides the clearest possible evidence that laws that permit abortion only to save the life of a woman, such as the Irish law, are clinically unworkable and ethically unacceptable. There are numerous clinical situations in which a serious risk posed to a pregnant woman’s health may become a risk to her life, and delaying emergency action only increases that risk. There is only one way to know if a woman’s life is at risk: wait until she has died. Medical practitioners must be empowered by law to intervene on the grounds of risk to life and health, rather than wait for a situation to deteriorate.

You will be aware that the European Court of Human Rights, as well as a number of United Nations human rights bodies, have called upon the Irish government to bring its abortion law in line with international human rights standards. Had these calls been heeded before now, the death of Savita Halappanavar would have been prevented.

With the death of Savita Halappanavar, Ireland joins the ranks of countries worldwide where abortion is denied to women and leads to their deaths.

We call on your government to take urgent and decisive steps to reform the legislation that led to the death of Savita Halappanavar. Until the Irish legal system is reformed the lives, health and autonomy of women across Ireland are in jeopardy.

Yours faithfully,

[SIGNATURE]