CEDAW’s abortion proposals for Ireland are, as always, utterly predictable
True to form, the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has issued its latest round of pro-abortion recommendations to Ireland.
Following its recent review of Ireland’s abortion law, the committee called for the urgent implementation of the radical recommendations of the 2023 O’Shea Review on the new abortion regime here. Disgracefully, they also called for the obliteration of any remaining freedom of conscience protections for healthcare workers who don’t wish to facilitate in abortions, and they’ve called on the Government to consider fully decriminalising abortion and abolishing the mandatory three-day waiting period.
It’s astonishing that a body claiming to defend human rights would push Ireland toward abortion on demand up-to-birth. But considering its track record on the issue, CEDAW forfeited the mantle of impartial human rights protector a very long time ago . One positive thing however that stands out in the CEDAW report is in the section on ‘Women with disabilities’ where it includes ‘forced sterilisation and coercive abortion’ as grounds for ‘comprehensive reparations for women and girls, that are consistent with international standards’. Despite all the valid criticisms of CEDAW, this particular inclusion in the report is certainly a welcome one. | 
