A delegation of the S&D Euro MPs composed of Iratxe García Pérez (Chairperson of the European Parliament’s committee for women’s rights and gender equality), Marie Arena, Maria Noichl and Nessa Childers will participate in the 4th Annual March for Choice on Saturday 26 September in Dublin which will mark the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion.
After the landslide vote for Marriage Equality and the passage of the Gender Recognition Bill earlier this year in Ireland, S&D members of the European Parliament support the Abortion Rights Campaign to Repeal the 8th amendment, in order to take a closer step to securing free, safe and legal access to abortion in Ireland.
Marie Arena, spokesperson for women's rights and gender equality said:
"I believe that women can only be truly equal to men if they are given control over their sexuality, bodies and health.
"We know that highly restrictive abortion regimes do not equate to lower abortion rates and that women have always had – and will continue to have – abortions; We will work in the European Parliament and beyond to secure women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights within and outside the EU and not be hampered by anti-choice propaganda.
"We are thrilled this movement is joined by so many Irish artists, citizens and European women's rights organizations".
Zita Gurmai, president of PES Women added:
"I have come here to Ireland today to march with my sisters in Labour Women for the right to abortion for all women in Europe, regardless of their nationality or their social or economic background.
"It is a grave injustice that women in Europe do not have the same right to choose what they do with their body. The right for all European women to choose is something that European socialist women have long been demanding in our ‘My Body My Rights’ campaign."
- See more at: http://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie
- All of Us: https://www.facebook.com/JoinALLofUs
