We've defended reproductive rights from religiously motivated restrictions since our founding.
Religion should not stand in the way of reproductive healthcare.
A desire to restrict reproductive rights, and to control women's bodies, is a hallmark of religious fundamentalism. We strongly support the right of women to have legal and safe abortions and access to emergency contraception.
Since its founding the National Secular Society has supported reproductive rights. In 1878 our founder and vice-president were prosecuted for making information about birth control accessible to working class women.
Throughout the world, reproductive rights are still under threat from theocrats. While individual religious people hold diverse views on abortion, every stage of progress in reproductive healthcare has been fought by religious organisations. Often these have involved virulent campaigns of intimidation and misinformation.
84% of people in the UK believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. This includes 76% of religious people and 94% of nonreligious people.
In the UK, emergency contraception can still sometimes be difficult to obtain. Some religious pharmacists have defied General Pharmaceutical Council guidance by refusing to sell it or even to dispense a prescription given to a woman after a consultation with her own doctor.
People of all religions and beliefs can have disagreements on the boundaries of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. However, religious beliefs should not be used to restrict the bodily autonomy of other people.
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Latest updates
Catholic midwives succeed in attempt to extend “conscience” exemption
Posted: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:19
Two Catholic midwives have won a legal battle for the right to conscientious exemption from all involvement with abortions.
Mary Doogan and Concepta Wood argued that being required to supervise staff taking part in abortions violated their human rights.
The ruling, which could yet be appealed by Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board, may have wide ramifications for the NHS and for other health staff who oppose abortions on religious grounds.
Giving judgment in a judicial review last year, Lady Smith said: "Nothing they have to do as part of their duties terminates a woman's pregnancy. They are sufficiently removed from direct involvement as, it seems to me, to afford appropriate respect for and accommodation of their beliefs."
However, in a judgement handed down today by Lady Dorrian, sitting with Lord Mackay of Drumadoon and Lord McEwan, the Court of Session ruled : "In our view the right of conscientious objection extends not only to the actual medical or surgical termination but to the whole process of treatment given for that purpose."
Dr Antony Lempert, chair of the Secular Medical forum, said: "Despite their own conscientious objections, these midwives chose to apply for this particular role within their profession. The earlier judgment rightly restrained the limits of conscientious objection to those defined by law and further clarified by Parliament in 1991 and the House of Lords in January 1988.
"Today's judgment could open the door to all manner of objections by professional staff who might now feel empowered to refuse to participate in a wide variety of tasks far removed from the treatment of a patient. It should be the responsibility of the healthcare professional to apply only for roles which are not in direct conflict with their personal beliefs. Where the two do come into conflict, service provision should never be constrained by the personal views of professionals.
"By so broadly extending the practical limits of conscientious objection, the practical effect is likely to be service disruption and compromised patient care. It may become increasingly difficult for NHS provider organisations to ensure that service provision can be maintained. Patients, who do not have the luxury of choosing when they might need to seek medical help, may be disadvantaged."
In a statement, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board said: "We note the outcome of the appeal and will be considering our options with our legal advisers over the next few days."
New survey reveals that most religious people are not anti abortion (not even Catholics)
Posted: Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:07
A new YouGov survey commissioned for the Westminster Faith Debates finds that 43% of people who identify with a religion are in favour of keeping or raising the current 24 week limit (compared with 46% of the general population), 30% would like to see it lowered (compared with 28%), and 9% support a ban (compared with 7%). The remainder of people say they 'don't know'.
Even though the Roman Catholic Church teaches that abortion is always wrong and should be illegal, only 14% of Catholics in this country are in favour of a ban.
A significant number of people believe that human life begins at conception, but this does not necessarily mean they are opposed to abortion.
44% of people believe that human life begins at conception, 30% at some time during pregnancy, 17% when the baby is born, and 8% don't know.
Surprisingly, even amongst those who believe that human life begins at conception, most believe that abortion should be legal. Over three quarters believe that abortion is acceptable in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and a half believe that abortion should be allowed at least up to 20 weeks.
Amongst the religious people surveyed, Catholics, Muslims and Baptists are the most hostile to abortion, but only about half would like to see the law changed.
14% of Catholics surveyed support a ban and 33% would like to see the 24 week limit lowered.
30% of Muslims surveyed support a ban and 16% would like to see the 24 week limit lowered.
Those who rely on external religious sources for guidance, and whose religion offers an anti-abortion message, are the most likely to be hostile to abortion.
The survey finds that factors like gender, age and voting preference do not make much difference to attitudes to abortion. The people most likely to be hostile to abortion are those:
- who believe in God with most certainty
- rely most strongly on scripture or religious teachings for guidance
- whose religion has a strong anti-abortion message
Only 8% of the population fits this profile, and of this 8% one third support a ban on abortion.
The survey finds that most people inGreat Britain— including religious people — rely most on their own judgment or feelings or the advice of family and friends for guidance.
Amongst the population as a whole, anti-abortion sentiment is declining and support for current abortion law is growing. Comparisons with earlier YouGov polls reveal that the percentage of the population who would like to see a ban on abortion has fallen from 12% in 2005 to 7% today. Of those who expressed a view, support for keeping (or even relaxing) the current 24 week limit has risen by about one-third to a clear majority (57%) today.
Professor Linda Woodhead of Lancaster University told the Guardian: "The impression one gets from many religious leaders and spokespeople is that most religious people are opposed to the liberalising trend in society. That is just not true and statistics like this give the lie to that view."
