Revocation of Roe v Wade: Open Letter
To: Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt MS
CC: Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan MS
Leader of Cardiff Council, Councillor Huw Thomas
Dear Minister,
Revocation of Roe vs Wade
We are writing to express our extreme disappointment and sadness regarding the decision to revoke the constitutional right to abortion in America. It sends a dangerous message to the world at a time when women[1] in many countries, including Northern Ireland, are still struggling to achieve abortion rights.
We would like to ask you to make a strong statement of support for a woman’s right to abortion as soon as possible and that you publicly condemn this appalling human rights violation.
Also, we would like to ask for an improvement of the provision in Wales. We know that many women in Wales must still travel extensively for abortion services and that later abortion services remain difficult to access across much of Wales. There are currently no services within Wales that provide abortion beyond 19 weeks, and no general hospitals in Wales are willing to accept cases with complex medical conditions and needs, meaning women are required to travel to England. This needs to change. Please can you let us know what action you will be taking to urgently improve the situation?
Buffer zones are needed around clinics providing abortion care, such as Cardiff Clinic where protesters have been intimidating and bullying women. This must not be allowed to continue and pressure should be placed on the UK government to allow buffer zones to be established so that women can access the healthcare they need.
In the meantime, Cardiff Council needs to do all it can to protect individuals accessing health services and local residents from harassment, intimidation and disruption, including the issuing of a Public Spaces Protection Order in the area around the clinic.
Finally, we would request that you urgently make representation to the UK Government that Stormont’s Department of Health in Northern Ireland implements the right to abortion and sets up a fully-funded abortion service. The Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis announced this in a statement to Parliament on May 19th, 2022. At that point, Mr. Lewis said he wanted action in ‘days and weeks, and yet progress has still not been made. The women of Northern Ireland must be able to access their reproductive rights.
Yours sincerely
Catherine Fookes, Director, WEN Wales
Alicja Zalesinska, CEO, Tai Pawb
Leila Usmani, Lobbying and Influencing Officer, Race Alliance Wales
Debbie Shaffer, Founder, FTWW: Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales
Sara Kirkpatrick, CEO, Welsh Women’s Aid
Mary Ann Brocklesby, Chair, WEN Wales
Cerys Furlong, Chief Executive, Chwarae Teg
Sarah Rees, Head of Oxfam Cymru
Stacey Grant-Canham Founder Black & Beech LTD
Krista Powell Edwards, Founder, The Credibility Expert Limited
Christina Tanti, Research and Evaluation Manager, Race Equality First
Laura O’Keeffe
Kelly Harris, Lead for Brook Cymru
Chris Dunn, CEO, Diverse Cymru
Frances Beecher, Chief Executive, Llamau
Megan Thomas, Policy and Research Officer, Disability Wales
Debbie Beadle, CEO, Cardiff Women’s Aid
Nkechi Allen Dawson, Policy Officer, Race Council Cymru
Sabiha Azad, Community Engagement Officer, Welsh Women’s Aid
Fadhilah Gubari, Advocacy Advisor, Oxfam Cymru
Jessica Laimann, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, WEN Wales
Gwendolyn Sterk, UK expert representative on EWL Observatory on VAWG
Lucia Sivori, Wellbeing Officer
Willow Holloway, Autistic Women’s Empowerment Project, Autistic UK
Leanne Waring, Business Development Manager, Cardiff and Vale College
Lisa Isherwood, Britain & Ireland School of Feminist Theology
Nicola Shone, Race Equality First
Laura Murphy & Team – Vicious Cycle: PMDD Awareness Campaign
Laura Kent, Race Equality First
Aliya Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Race Equality First
Dr Edward Morris, President, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Suzy Davies, Women’s Equality Network, Board Member
Dr Olga Jurasz, The Open University
The Whole Team, Trans Aid Cymru
Professor Laura McAllister, Wales Governance Centre
Bobbie Sheldrake. Programme Action Co-ordinator Soroptimist International Wales South Region.
Sandra Ajax programme
Susie Blacklaw-Jones, Programme Action Officer, Soroptimist International Haverfordwest & District
Margaret Slater-Harries, President, Soroptimist International Haverfordwest & District
Jackie Jones, Councillor
Deena Irving, Soroptimist International Haverfordwest & District
Heidi Lewis, Soroptimist International Wales South Region Joint President
[1] Our calls in this letter include all people who have a uterus and may get pregnant, not just cisgender women.
Thank you to Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt MS for her response to our letter. Read her response here.