Look Who’s Choosing For Us!
Campaign for Women’s Right to Choose!

The Dublin Anarchist Collective actively supports the Women’s Right to Choose Campaign. The right of everybody to self-determination is a basic of Anarchist belief. Women in particular are denied this right. In this society we have little or no control over the issues which affect are daily lives. Our health and sexuality are dictated by the State and by the Church. The Women’s’ Right to Choose Campaign challenges this and is determined to press for freedom of choice for women

The Women’s Right to Choose Campaign demands that as women we must be able to control our own fertility. Our sexuality goes beyond child-bearing. Contraception must be available if a woman is faced with an unwanted pregnancy she must have access to free, legal and safe abortion. The availability depends on a sympathetic doctor and having the money to pay. Abortion is illegal here and only those who have access to information and the money and the courage to go to England can have one. At least ten Irish women make this journey every day. Because of attitudes, these women are forced to go in secret and they often have to forego aftercare treatment through fear of their doctors’ reaction.

Working-class women are the most disadvantaged due to the cost of abortion and contraception and the unavailability of information on both. The Women’s’ Right to Choose Campaign demands that contraception and abortion should be free, legal and safe. The right to choose abortion is but one of the demands of the Campaign. Women must also be free to have children if we so want. Many women cannot choose to have kids because of social and economic circumstances outside of our control.

The lack of child-care and support means we must be become full-time childminders and lose our independence. If not married, we face discrimination and poverty of we have children. Our campaign demands a proper standard of living and adequate child-care services.

The Women’s’ Right to Choose Campaign has always been active within the Anti-Amendment Campaign and has consistently highlighted the rights of women. Defeating the referendum has immediate priority. But we must remember how few and limited rights of women are in Ireland. Whatever the results of the Referendum we must be organised to go further and demand our fundamental rights — control over our fertility and control over how we live.