In this session we spoke with Dr. Maeve O'Brien from Alliance for Choice Derry about the state of abortion access across the island of Ireland and recent developments in England and Wales. Northern Ireland decriminalized abortion in 2019 and since then has enjoyed a gold standard level of abortion healthcare – with free, safe and decriminalized abortion widely available across all trusts. In the Republic of Ireland, abortion access is still difficult with a punitive three-day-waiting-period and difficulties engaging rural providers. We learned more about how stigma operates in an Irish context and plotted ways to support and educate each other in our fight for global abortion access. Sarah Leonard, founder and editor-in-chief at Lux Magazine, joined us as moderator for this session.

Bios Alliance for Choice Derry is an active, vibrant, non-hierarchical and proudly grassroots group informed by reproductive justice principles. They fight for abortion in the north and south of Ireland and offer international solidarity.

Dr Maeve O'Brien is an activist with Alliance for Choice Derry. Hailing from Co. Tyrone in the north of Ireland, Maeve participated in the fight for the repeal of the 8th Amendment in the Republic of Ireland and for decriminalization of abortion in Northern Ireland. She continues to advocate for enhanced access to abortion particularly for people living in rural areas, as well as the removal of the three-day-waiting period in the Republic.

Links www.allianceforchoiceni.org maeveobrienwrites.substack.com https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ARC_Submission.pdf https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/northern-ireland-abortion-statistics-publication-202324 https://lux-magazine.com/

ABOUT SYA Shout Your Abortion is normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality. SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.