Woman in Ireland Denied Lifesaving Abortion

Irish Times, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Yesterday The Irish Times reported on the tragic death of Savita Halappanavar, who was denied a potentially lifesaving abortion, which she requested after being told by physicians she was having a miscarriage and that her fetus had no chance of survival.  The 31 year old dentist was 17 weeks pregnant when she sought treatment at University Hospital Galway on Oct. 21, complaining of severe back pain.  According to her husband Praveen Halappanavar, she was told that it would be illegal to abort while the fetus’s heart was still beating: “The consultant said it was the law, that this is a Catholic country. Although Savita [a Hindu] replied that she was  ‘neither Irish nor Catholic’ they said there was nothing they could do.

Unfortunately, the doctor’s hands were tied. As the New York Times reported:

“In 1992, the Irish Supreme Court ruled that abortion was permissible in cases where there was a “real and substantial risk” to the life of a pregnant woman — including the possibility of suicide. But 20 years later, the Irish government has still not passed a law to this effect.”

This tragedy has already sparked debate over abortion laws in Ireland. Thousands of protesters have marched in Belfast, London, Dublin, Cork and Galway, hoping to force the Irish government to stop dragging their feet on this important issue. For people living in the US, Halappanavar’s death illustrates the frightening reality we face if legislation protecting women’s right to choose is reversed.

Malala Yousufzai of Pakistan’s Swat Valley has effectively become a patron saint for the advancement of women’s rights to education. A week ago today, Taliban gunmen shot Malala in the face and neck for speaking publicly against the Taliban’s suppression of girls’ education. In a 2011 interview with CNN, Malala explained why she continued to speak in defiance, despite the danger she faced: “I have the right of education. I have the right to play. I have the right to sing. I have the right to talk. I have the right to go to market. I have the right to speak up.”

Educational inequity and discrimination in schools may be different in the United States from how they manifest in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. Female American students can reasonably expect to be safe from government violence as they ride the bus home. Politicians, policemen, and principals are unlikely to make overt public statements, threatening girls with bodily harm if they show up to class. Nonetheless, sex discrimination is engrained in American schools and universities. Female students are discouraged from participating in class discussions when teachers more often call on their male counterparts. Young women are channeled into vocational training programs, eventually being situated in lower-paying positions than their male peers. Recently, on 10/11/12, the world celebrated the International Day of the Girl, a UN Sanctioned campaign to highlight opportunities for female children worldwide. In light of both this celebration and Malala’s tragic shooting last Tuesday, we should make conscious daily efforts to advance women’s rights to education. Raise your hand in class; and if you are not invited to speak, keep raising your hand in class. Study whatever interests you. Male students do not own math and science.Be mindful of the way the media portrays women in power; and if you do not find enough women in public office, become a woman in public office. We have the right to speak up.