The United Nations Committee on Human Rights has repeated its criticism of Ireland’s abortion laws.
It ruled that an Irish woman was subjected to “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,” because of these laws.
The committee was ruling on the case of Siobhán Whelan, who was told she couldn’t have an abortion when she found out the baby she was carrying had a fatal foetal impairment in 2010.
It held that Ireland must provide Ms Whelan with reparations for the harm she suffered.
The committee also ruled that the country must reform its laws so other women aren’t put through a similar experience.
The Centre for Reproductive Rights, based in New York, submitted a complaint to the UN committee on Ms Whelan’s behalf.
In a statement, Ms Whelan said, “I am very pleased with the decision.”
“In taking this case, my hope was to bring about a change in our laws so that when faced with the tragic news of a fatal foetal impairment, women would have a choice to end the pregnancy in Ireland and not be forced to carry the pregnancy to term or to travel out of our country to access healthcare services like I had to.”
This is the second time the UN has criticised Ireland’s stance on abortion and ordered the state to compensate a woman for this issue.
In 2016, Amanda Mellet became the first Irish woman ever to receive money from the state for the trauma she suffered by having to travel abroad to terminate a pregnancy that would have seen her give birth to a baby that would be born dead, according to the Guardian.
At that time, the committee said Ireland “should amend its law on voluntary termination of pregnancy, including if necessary its constitution, to ensure compliance with the covenant, including effective, timely and accessible procedures for pregnancy termination in Ireland.”
