Women challenge Irish law on abortion in Europe on human rights grounds

The strict anti-abortion laws of the Republic of Ireland were challenged this week at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

The grand chamber of 17 judges was told that the country’s virtual ban on abortion was endangering women’s health and wellbeing and forcing them to travel abroad for terminations.

Representing three women living in Ireland who had their abortions in the United Kingdom, senior counsel Julie Kay told the judges that all three women had to borrow money to travel abroad for “clandestine” abortions.

The women, backed by the Irish Family Planning Association …