The Pro-Choice Campaign – Aims & Goals
OUR AIMS:
We are campaigning for a modern, compassionate and fair law regulating terminations in Gibraltar. At present, Gibraltar’s current law is highly restrictive and obliges women to travel abroad (primarily to Spain or the UK) for treatment.
This discriminates against women who find themselves unable to afford the cost of a private termination. Choosing to have an abortion is difficult for any woman, it is not a casual decision. The Pro-Choice Campaign believes the law should be changed to provide compassionate, effective and fair treatment for all women living in Gibraltar.
OUR GOALS:
Counselling
The Gibraltar Health system must provide non-directive counselling so women have the full facts about their options (including abortion, adoption, or parenting) and support during their decision-making and afterwards.
Terminations up to 12 weeks
Abortion to be available if requested by a woman who is distressed at being pregnant. Most women will seek abortion at the early stages of pregnancy.
Terminations between 12 and 24 weeks
Abortion to be available if there are serious maternal health concerns (physical or mental), serious social grounds or other grounds which include but are not limited to:
- Addiction
- Death of partner during pregnancy
- Imprisonment (woman or partner)
- Homelessness/risk of homelessness
- Pregnancy resulting from sexual crime (including incest)
Terminations over 24 weeks
Abortion to be available:
- where the woman’s life is in danger.
- where there are other risk factors that could impact on both mother and foetus and full medical consultation has taken place prior to decision-making
Funding
The cost of the procedure and associated costs for terminations on any of the above grounds should be met by the Gibraltar Health Authority.
