MARCH FOR ABORTION RIGHTS GAINS MOMENTUM - PLEASE ADD YOUR SUPPORT

2007 is the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act, which legalised abortion in Britain. The 21 October Feminist Fightback conference agreed to organise a march for abortion rights on Saturday 3 March. There are now just under two weeks to go, and the march is gaining momentum. Please advertise it, come along, bring a delegation - and contact us to add your or your group's official support!

Confirmed speakers so far:

- Katy Clark MP - Labour MP for North Ayshire and Arran
- Maria Exall - Trade Union Congress LGBT officer
- Sofie Buckland - National Union of Students national executive
- Kate Ahrens - Leicester Health Unison and Keep Our NHS Public activist
- Debbie Hollingsworth - Ruskin College SU Women’s Officer
- European Women’s Lobby - speaker from the Portugal referendum campaign

Other supporting organisations and individuals include:

- Education Not for Sale Women
- NUS Women's Campaign
- Marge Berer - editor, Reproductive Health Matters journal
- International Union of Sexworkers
- Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq (UK)
- Sussex University Women's Group
- Nottingham University Women’s Group
- Emma Clossick - co-chair, Oxford University Women’s Group
- RMT Women’s Advisory Committee
- John McDonnell MP
- Carolyn Leckie - Scottish Socialist Party MEP
- Petra Urwin - SOAS Women’s Society president
- Janine Booth - Hackney TUC President
- Socialist Youth Network
- Mary Partington - SYN Women’s Officer and Feminists 4 John McDonnell
- Scottish Socialist Youth Women's Network
- Louise Gold - Sheffield University, NUS Women’s Committee 2004-6
- Laura Sterry - Nottingham University
- Laura Schwartz - University of East London
- Susie Orbach - author of "Fat is a feminist issue"
- Teodora Todorova - Nottingham University Women’s Officer.

Rhythms of Resistance and Bradford Samba will be playing. For more info, for posters and flyers to distribute in your area, or to add yourself to the list of supporters, get in touch:  team@fightback.org.uk


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More information:
40 YEARS SINCE 1967 - ORGANISE FOR ABORTION RIGHTS

Dear sisters and brothers,

We need your help in building the protest for abortion rights due to take place on Saturday 3 March.

On 21 October, more than 220 people attended the Feminist Fightback conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London to discuss issues including feminism and sexual expression, women's movements in the Middle East, women workers organising against low and unequal pay, men's role in the fight against sexism, sex workers' struggles - and abortion rights. To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act which legalised abortion in Britain, the organising session of the conference agreed to hold a torch-lit march for abortion rights in central London a day close to International Women's Day (which is Thursday 8 March). With anti-choice right-wingers currently on the offensive, we believe that this protest is very important indeed.

We will be meeting on Saturday 3 March from 6.30pm at University of London Union on Malet Street (Goodge Street, Euston, Euston Square or Russell Square tube), to march followed by a rally. This event is open to all, men and women. Our demands are:

- No reduction in the 24-week time limit for access to abortion.
- The right to abortion on demand (this means an end to having to get the consent of two doctors) up to the legal time limit.
- The extension of abortion rights to women in Northern Ireland.
- Abortion to be integrated into the NHS as an ordinary medical service.
- An end to privatisation, marketisation and fragmentation in the NHS; increased public funding to guarantee free and equal access to abortion.
- Improved access to and increased choice of publicly funded contraception.
- Clear, honest, comprehensive and confidential sexuality and relationship education for all children which addresses issues of consent and domestic violence.
- A real 'right to choose' which also means the right to have a child free from economic and social pressure. This requires a real living wage for all workers, benefits which can be lived on and rise with earnings, universal publicly funded childcare and an end to the stigmatisation of single mothers.

What you can do:

- Officially support the march. If you, your women's group or other organisation would like to do so, just get in touch.
- Advertise the march as widely as possible by putting the information on websites, email lists etc, putting up posters, distributing leaflets (both of which can be downloaded for copying from the Fightback website).
- Bring a delegation on the march (if you can let us know in advance, that would be helpful for planning, but of course you can just turn up on the day - the more, the merrier!)
- Invite a speaker to your women's group etc to tell you more about the march, Feminist Fightback, ENS Women or feminist activism generally!

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you on 3 March!

In solidarity,

Debbie Hollingsworth and Laura Schwartz
Feminist Fightback organising team

Sofie Buckland
National Union of Students National Executive

- www.fightback.org.uk / www.socialistfeminist.org.uk
-  team@fightback.org.uk
- 07890 209 479

Please publicise the march through your campaigning groups, union branches and student unions - a model motion can be found on the website.