Every Woman Ensuring quality, universal, lifelong reproductive healthcare for women and girls in Ireland National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

National Women’s Council of Ireland Ireland’s national women’s membership organisation representing 180 member groups. Policies and measures based on the diverse experiences of women. Working towards women’s equal access, participation and recognition in Irish society. National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020 Responding to healthcare needs for all life stages for all women and girls National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020 Women’s Health Action Plan NWCI’s model for reproductive healthcare National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Women’s reproductive healthcare and track record of NWCI Improving access to contraception Increasing maternity entitlements Advocating for high quality, affordable childcare Ensuring women-centred maternity services Provision of abortion services in Ireland One way in which women’s equality is realised is through our ability to make decisions about when to have children Listening to experiences of women and advocating and campaigning for National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Restricts the care of women and girls The 8th Amendment Restricts the care of women and girls Women must leave the State for abortion care and many cannot leave Interferes in the relationship between doctor and patient and the ability of doctors to care for women as their patients In addition to those in urgent need of care, we know from our members that the Eighth Amendment casts a shadow over the daily lives of women and girls. It needs to be resolved for everyone’s benefit. National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Resolution that reflects the country we are now Sensitive and inclusive consensus Shared understanding of what reproductive services we need Women’s equality is realised through our ability to make decisions about when to have children Sensitive and inclusive consensus that acknowledges people’s experience of pregnancy and family life in all its diversity and complexity Shared understanding of what reproductive services we need that will enable all women and girls to realise their potential Women’s equality is realised through our ability to make decisions about when to have children National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Every Woman – Our model for reproductive healthcare services Relationship and sexual health education Affordable and accessible contraception Sexual and reproductive health services Comprehensive pregnancy care, including abortion when needed Reproductive cancer care Menopause services National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Put women’s health and lives first Providing caring, comprehensive reproductive healthcare services for women and girls: Recognise complexities of real life Make education and non-directive support available Protect women’s and girls health Where the complexities of real life are recognised in a non-judgmental way Where education and non-directive support are available in order to ensure the best decisions and outcomes Where women’s and girls’ health and well-being are protected National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Care for a woman who needs to end a pregnancy Make care options affordable and accessible for all Support those who provide care for women and girls Where a woman who needs to end a pregnancy can be cared for in Ireland Where care options are accessible and affordable for all women and girls, whatever their circumstances or beliefs Where we support those who provide care for women and girls National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

Key principles of healthcare services Private Accessible Comprehensive High quality Adequately funded private: The confidentiality between the doctor and the patient must be protected. All decisions should be private, personal and confidential. accessible: Care options should be publicly funded and available to all through the public health system. comprehensive: Services should provide for all reproductive health needs of women and girls. high quality: Services must comply with best medical practice, standards and safeguards. adequately funded: Services should receive appropriate funding that ensures timely access. National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model

INCLUDE DESCRIPION AND FIGURES

Our model for reproductive health and the Eighth Amendment Equality – Caring for all women who are pregnant in Ireland. No one makes pregnancy decisions lightly. Every pregnancy is different, every decision is personal. Reducing the need for abortion Every Pregnancy is different, every decision is personal: Pregnancies are different. And women are different – they are Traveller women, rural women, migrant women, women with disabilities, older women and young women. They have different needs depending on their experiences, their community background, their beliefs and socio-economic circumstances. Our healthcare system needs to meet their different needs. Reducing the need for abortion. Evidence from other countries, such as Switzerland, suggests that improved access to contraception and access to abortion will overall lead to lower abortion rates. We know from a recent survey in Ireland that there is still significant scope for improvement when it comes to contraception. 30 per cent of couples rely on the high risk ‘withdrawal method’.

To realise our model, we need to: Prioritise funding Ensure the health and well-being of a woman or girl is prioritised Recognise abortion as a necessary element of obstetric care Acknowledge that women and girls need to end pregnancies for many reasons Remove criminal sanctions Allow medical professionals to provide quality, non-judgmental services We aim to ensure comprehensive, quality, universal reproductive healthcare services for women and girls in Ireland. The Eight Amendment to the Constitution is a fundamental barrier to achieving this. To realise our model, we need to: Prioritise funding and planning for reproductive health services Ensure the health and well-being of a woman or girl is prioritised over the forced continuation of a pregnancy. Recognise abortion as a necessary element of obstetric care Acknowledge that women and girls need to end pregnancies for many reasons and that those reasons should be respected and remain private Remove criminal sanctions for people seeking to end a pregnancy Allow medical professionals to provide quality, non-judgmental services within the public health system

The Way Forward – A needs based approach Constitutional change Removing the 8th Amendment Protected period (would cover over 90% of abortions) Early stage pregnancy is recognised as a health condition of the woman for her to make personal decisions about and manage with her doctor. Protected treatments Where a wanted pregnancy turns into a crisis pregnancy at a later stage in pregnancy, there should be restricted access to abortion where it is considered medically necessary. Medically necessary covers the mental and physical health of the woman and nonviable pregnancies. To date, public discussion of possible futures beyond the Eighth Amendment has generally been framed in terms of restrictions. Restriction of access to care, restriction of reasons for needing to end a pregnancy, restrictions on women’s life decisions.   Need-based proposal NWCI believes that we can work towards a positive consensus that prioritises the healthcare needs of women. If we begin by identifying and providing for the real needs of women and girls, we can then design appropriate controls that will ensure accessibility and standards of care.   Rather than restricting access to abortion in Ireland, the NWCI proposal will result in provision of integrated reproductive healthcare, providing accessible care for all women and girls while also reducing the need for abortion care. Constitutional Change: The complexity of healthcare decisioins has no place in the Constitution. Protected Period: would cover over 90 per cent of abortions, would also provide privacy and dignity to women who have become pregnant as a result of rape. Protected Treatments:For example, where a woman receives a cancer diagnosis at 20 weeks, requiring urgent treatment. Or when a couple receives a diagnosis that there is no chance of survival for their very wanted pregnancy.

Every Woman Ensuring quality, universal, lifelong reproductive healthcare for women and girls in Ireland National Women’s Council of Ireland Every Woman Healthcare Model