We’ve seen how important it is to ‘frame’ abortion as seen as a human rights issue. But what else is needed to organise a successful legal and social campaign?
This next lesson should take about 10 minutes to complete.
We pick up the story in the following clip where Catherine and Naomi talk about the release of the CEDAW report and what happened next. As you watch the clip, think about the following question:
Reflection on the video
Catherine is very clear-eyed about the limitations of human rights: they’re essential to victory, but they won’t secure that victory on their own. In another part of the video, Naomi says that what the story of CEDAW in NI tells us is that securing abortion rights:
‘…can be done, but that it takes a community of ‘human rights academics, lawyers, NGOs, activists, those of us affected and even politicians; some of whom had to be dragged kicking and screaming and some of whom were supportive from the get-go, many of whom were on a journey and that can’t be ignored’.
The idea of a community of people collaborating and contributing their specific strengths but also going on a journey is a good way of thinking about the long road to legal reform and victory. CEDAW took a long time: about 10 years. It was a huge milestone on this road, both other inputs were needed, and other events were instrumental.