UN human rights committee censures Irish abortion laws for a second time

The committee decided in favour of Siobhán Whelan, who was denied access to abortion services in Ireland following a diagnosis of a fatal foetal impairment.

It said the State must now provide her with “adequate compensation” and “any needed psychological treatment”, and is also obliged “to take steps to prevent similar violations occurring in the future”.

To that end, the committee said the State “should amend its law on voluntary termination of pregnancy, including if necessary its Constitution, to ensure compliance with the Covenant, including ensuring effective, timely and accessible procedures for pregnancy termination in Ireland, and take measures to ensure that health-care providers are in a position to supply full information on safe abortion services without fearing being subjected to criminal sanctions”.

It closely resembles the committee’s finding in a similar case last year, where a woman travelled to the UK to end her “non-viable pregnancy”.

The complaint in this case was filed by the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights in March 2014 on Ms Whelan’s behalf.

Responding to the outcome, Leah Hoctor, regional director for Europe at the Center for Reproductive Rights, said: “Today the UN Human Rights Committee upheld her claims and told Ireland, for the second time, that its abortion laws are cruel and inhumane.

“Women’s health and wellbeing are harmed when they have to travel for abortion services. Political will to enable meaningful law reform is now imperative. The Irish government and Oireachtas must show leadership and act.”