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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Reggie Littlejohn of Women's Rights Without Frontiers in Dublin

Human rights activist Chen Guangcheng escapes house arrest in China


Last Tuesday Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers and internationally recognised expert on China's One Child Policy was in Ireland highlighting human rights abuses against women in China and the plight of blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng, a campaigner against forced abortion and other abuses that arise from the Chinese One Child Policy.

Ms Littlejohn briefed members of the Oireachtas and addressed a public meeting hosted by the Pro Life Campaign in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin.

Women’s Rights Without Frontiers is a non-partisan, international coalition to oppose forced abortion, sterilisation and human trafficking in China and Ms. Littlejohn is an internationally recognised expert on China’s One Child Policy and the problems it has caused.

The One Child Policy in implemented through, moral, financial and sometimes physical abuse with cases of heavily women being held down as their baby was aborted. This policy combined with a cultural preference for boys over girls has led to what’s become known as “gendercide,” the deliberate targeting of baby girls for abortion or even infanticide. It is estimated that over 100 Million baby girls have been aborted in China alone for the simple reason that they were girls. This has led to a skewed sex ratio in China where there are 113 boys born for every 100 girls. The ratio in Ireland of 106 boys to 100 girls is the figure demographers consider normal.


Reggie Littlejohn and supporters of Stop Gendercide Now outside the Chinese Embassy in Dublin on 25th April

Ms. Littlejohn has highlighted for some years the case of Chinese lawyer and human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng who was put under house arrest in 2005 as punishment for campaigning against the human rights abuses endured by Chinese women as a result of the One Child Policy. Even though he was officially released from prison he was kept in detention and denied treatment despite suffering a serious illness.

On Wednesday Ms. Littlejohn (who has been denied entry into China because of her advocacy for Chen and the women he has represented) led an awareness event for Chen’s case outside the Chinese Embassy in Dublin. Chen, who’s been blind from an early age, wears sunglasses all the time and as part of the campaign to highlight his case Ms. Littlejohn and other activists donned sunglasses in solidarity.

On Friday, it was announced that Cheng has escaped captivity and he is reported as being in hiding in the United States Embassy in Beijing. This news was an international sensation. While Reggie Littlejohn has welcomed the news of his escape she has also highlighted the fact that he is not yet out of danger and that he, his family, including his wife and daughter (who are still under observation in the family home), remain in danger. She has also called on the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who is visiting China from Beijing to raise his case.


For more information on Reggie and her work and to sign a petition calling on the Chinese government to release Chen Guangcheng, visit Women’s Rights Without Frontiers website

Thursday, April 19, 2012


The Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has welcomed the defeat of a Bill which would have legalised abortion up until birth.


19th April 2012


In a statement today, Caroline Simons of the Pro Life Campaign described the abortion Bill which was defeated this morning in Dáil Éireann, and proposed by Socialist Party TD Clare Daly, as “unnecessary and misleading”.  The Bill was defeated by 111 votes to 20.

Ms Simons said: “Today's result vindicates the work done by the highly professional medical staff who provide world class care to Irish mothers.

“The sponsors of this Bill misleadingly tried to suggest that pregnant women in Irish hospitals were not receiving necessary medical treatment. This is demonstrably false.
Caroline Simons speaking to media outside Dáil Éireann yesterday
 Wendy Grace and Maria Coleman outside Dáil Éireann yesterday

“As Government ministers pointed out during the debate, Ireland has an exceptional record in respect of maternal healthcare. UN data repeatedly shows that we are world leaders in caring for pregnant women.

“For TDs to be scaremongering about this, instead of celebrating the achievement of our medical profession is shameful and irresponsible.”

Ms Simons added that the Pro Life Campaign was aware that the Government's Expert Group was working to address concerns raised by the European Court of Human Rights in respect of Ireland's abortion law.

PLC volunteers standing with women who regret their abortion

She said: “We await the findings of the Expert Group, and we trust that it will take into account all the facts, including the fact that we can abide by the ECHR ruling in the ABC -v- Ireland case, while also protecting the unborn child.

“We also trust that Fine Gael will honour the pre-election commitments it made to protect Ireland's pro-life laws, and the pro-life, pro-woman ethos of our medical profession.”

Ends
At Dáil Éireann before the debate yesterday

Caroline Simons was interviewed for RTÉ News yesterday evening at the Dáil.   You can watch it here

Cora Sherlock was interviewed for TV3 News yesterday. You can watch the segment here

Caroline Simons participated in the Late Debate on RTÉ Radio last night.  You can listen back to the debate here

See coverage of Dr. Ruth Cullen in today's Irish Times here

Our Dáil event was covered in today's Irish Independent.  You can view coverage here

Dr. Ruth Cullen has an opinion piece in Journal.ie  today.  You can read it here
Adele and Lynn at Dáil Éireann

Monday, April 16, 2012

Pro Life Campaign says Labour Party abortion stance 'ignores hurt abortion causes women'


A motion passed at yesterday’s Labour Party conference in favour of abortion legislation has been described by the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) as “ignoring the hurt that abortion causes women”.


In a statement, PLC spokesperson, Dr Ruth Cullen said that those who spoke in favour of the motion had “tried to imply that legislation would safeguard women’s lives”.

“In fact, the motion was about seeking abortion on demand,” Dr Cullen said.

She added: “Those who supported the motion should know that Ireland, without abortion, is the safest country for pregnant women and that there is a clear distinction between necessary medical treatment in pregnancy and direct abortion, the aim of which is to end the baby’s life.

“Repeatedly, figures from the United Nations on maternal mortality show that Ireland is a world leader in this area. Yet instead of celebrating this achievement, pro-abortion campaigners repeatedly distort the facts.

“The adoption of the motion also shows that the Labour Party is ignoring the hurt that abortion causes women.

“Increasingly, research is showing that abortion is a leading risk factor for increased mental health problems for women.

“Despite this, Labour has assumed an outdated position that refuses to take on board this evidence, or the stories that many women are telling about the trauma that abortion has caused them.”

Dr Cullen added: “There is nothing progressive about adopting a policy that disregards the right to life and ignores the negative effects of abortion on women.

“This latest evidence of Labour’s aggressive stance in favour of abortion makes it all the more imperative that voters hold Fine Gael to their election promise to retain Ireland’s pro-life stance.”


Friday, April 13, 2012

Reggie Littlejohn of Women's Rights Without Frontiers to speak in Dublin


Reggie Littlejohn is a litigation lawyer and serves as an expert on China’s One Child Policy. She is the founder of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, an organisation dedicated to raising public awareness of the coercive enforcement of China’s One Child Policy and resulting human rights abuses. 

Reggie will be speaking about her work on Tuesday, 24th April at 7pm in the O' Casey Room, Gresham Hotel, O' Connell Street, Dublin 1. Places are limited so if you would like to attend, please email mail@prolifecampaign.ie or telephone 086 2195317 with your details.

Over several years, she has testified before the US Congressional Human Rights Commission, briefed the White House, the European Parliament, the British Parliament and others on this issue.  As a lawyer she has represented Chinese refugees in political asylum cases in the United States.

Watch a short youtube about Reggie's work by clicking below: