Savita Halappanavar was an Indian woman who tragically died in 2012 because of an oppressive Irish law. She became the symbol of the struggle for women’s reproductive rights in Ireland and was one of the reasons for a regressive and repressive law to be abolished. Actor and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson recently published a heartfelt tribute to the late Savita. Here is what this is all about:
In 1983, an amendment was made to the Irish constitution. This amendment stated that a woman and her unborn child had equal right to life. This in effect denied women the right to abortion and created one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the world. This resulted in cases such as the X case of 1992 where the High Court restrained a 14 year old girl who was pregnant as a result of rape, from travelling to England to get an abortion. In appeal the Supreme Court granted permission, but only after it was demonstrated that the girl showed risk of suicide.
She was a 32 year old dentist who requested an abortion when it seemed clear that she would miscarry her old foetus. She was not permitted to get an abortion and she finally died in October 2012 from complications arising out of septic miscarriage at 17 weeks gestation. Her death refocused attention on issues such as women's access to safe abortions, their rights to choice and to their own bodies. She became the face of a struggle. Various protests and marches by activist would feature her image.
The anti-abortion law of Ireland was so strict, it prevented abortions even in case of incest, rape and foetal abnormality. The Irish people voted to repeal the 8th amendment with an overwhelming majority of almost 67% voting for repeal.
In September 2018, the President of Ireland signed the bill repealing the 8th amendment. This clears the way for the 36th Amendment of the Constitution and to legislation permitting abortion by 2019.
She is a UN Goodwill Ambassador and women's rights champion. According to Emma Watson, Savita Halappanavar's death powered the movement of rights activists for reproductive justice; as such she paid tribute to her legacy and to her family.
After the demise of Savita Halappanavar, her family supported several causes relating to women's reproductive rights and the repeal of the eight amendment. After the referendum earlier this year, her father expressed his thanks to the people of Ireland.
Women's reproductive rights and their ability to control what happens to their own bodies is still largely the subject matter of religious and ideological restrictions. Many countries in the world still have oppressive and restrictive abortion laws that prevent access to safe abortion. Even countries such as the United States remain deeply divided on the issue. The anti-abortion or pro-life lobby insists that life begins at conception and women therefore have no right to decide whether or not carrying a pregnancy to term is in their own interests. The fact that when it comes to a woman's body, only she has the right to make a decision seems to completely escape those on the anti-abortion side of the ideological divide.
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