International Women's Day is a particularly appropriate time to examine the current state of abortion other than an individual
provision in Britain. The right to free, safe legal demands orthe Comeetion is move of the key woman going through a demands of the Women's liberation movement.
The National Abortion campaign (NAC) was one of the most dynamic campaigns launched by feminists, which was not only successful in beating back a whole series of legislative attacks on women's rights but also won major support from the trade union movement in doing so.
But the issue has not had such a high profile over the last decade or more, partly because there were no private members bills seeking to further restrict our rights. NAC attempted to campaign positively - for improved access to NHS abortions and for new legislation which would remove the existing barriers to safe abortion, for abortion on request.
A report in December 2003 from the FPA (formerly the Family Planning Association) demonstrated again what pro-choice activists have often pointed out - there was a post-code lottery for abortion before this was the case for other NHS services.
In 2001, 79 per cent of abortions were carried out before ten weeks in north-east Lincolnshire, but in Great Yarmouth the figure was just 26 per cent. The NHS paid for 96 per cent of abortions in Coventry, but only 50 per cent in Kingston and Richmond.
Unfortunately these campaigns to improve women's right to abortion had not been successful and in late 2003, NAC merged with other pro-choice organisations. to form Abortion Rights. Many of us who had been active arguing on her behalf.
It is impossible for anyon other than an individu woman going through a preg nancy to decide what ar grounds for having an abortio
A huge number of assump tions have been made abor the circumstances of this indi vidual case by people on a sides, though many pro-choic people have raised the fact tha it does demonstrate the nee