Two weeks ago, International Women’s Day saw thousands of Irish citizens take to the streets to have their voices heard but this year, there was a bit of a difference to the annual movement. This year, March 8th 2017 was also National Strike for Repeal Day where people advocated for the removal of the eighth amendment from the Irish Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann. The terminology of the eighth amendment is “The State acknowledges the right to life of the unborn and, with due regard to the equal right to life of the mother, guarantees in its laws to respect, and, as far as practicable, by its laws to defend and vindicate that right.”
Here at UL, there was a Strike for Repeal organised by the Feminist Society – a human chain on the Living Bridge to represent the amount of women that have to travel to England every year to get an abortion. Over 100 people showed up to show their support wearing black to show solidarity, holding homemade signs and shouting at the top of their lungs. Co- President of the Feminist Society Beth O’ Neill said “We’re a small society and so even with the large amount of publicity surrounding the strike, we were only expecting perhaps a maximum of 50 students to show up for our demonstration. I think even from our demonstration you can see that this is something that matters deeply to people. We had an incredibly diverse range of people present on the bridge last Wednesday which makes me believe that the movement to repeal the eighth Amendment can no longer be described as a radical movement. The 8th Amendment effects every-one in some way and I believe that people now realise it”.
Some of the chants included “My body, My choice” and “Not the church, not the state, women must decide their fate”. It wasn’t just students gathered on the bridge either, as members of staff showed up to show their support too. The goal of the strike was to bring attention to the issue in the hopes that Taoiseach Enda Kenny will call a referendum. One of the people who attended the strike, Aishlinn Gormally said “I loved the protest because when I’m talking about the 8th, I try to persuade. But this time i was able to shout and chant and let my anger and frustration out with people who feel the exact same as I do. It renewed my hope, and I started feeling like we might actually change something, soon.”
Despite the vast numbers that marched all over the country it is said that no action will be taken until the results of the Citizen’s Assembly report come out, according to Minister for Health Simon Harris. Meanwhile it is estimated that 12 women a day travel to England to obtain an abortion where it is not criminalized with 3,451 travelling in 2015 alone. With the strike over and the conversation fizziling out of the media, many are wondering what is the next step but we need to keep emphasising the urgency of changing this amendment, continue to talk about the ongoing issue and put pressure on the government until a referendum is called.