Victoria University Feminist Organisation and ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa, in conjunction with the VUW Feminist Law Students, Organise Aotearoa, Fem Force, and with the support of VUW Student Association announced they are sponsoring a march and demonstration in support of reproductive rights in Wellington on 23 July 2019 from 11 am to 1:30 pm.

“We wanted to show solidarity with Alabama, whose legislature recently voted to criminalise abortion care and make it inaccessible,” said Tara O’Sullivan, co-president of the Victoria University Feminist Organisation.

“Abortion laws in New Zealand are currently a disgrace. Instead of allowing people to decide their own fate, they require people to beg the approval of two random certifying consultants in order to get abortion care. Abortion is still in the Crimes Act, which perpetuates the stigma around abortion care.”

VUWSA president Tamatha Paul said, “New Zealand law does not respect the bodily autonomy of pregnant people. Abortion care is health care. We support the Law Commission’s Model A, which makes abortion care a matter between a person and their doctor, like every other kind of health care. It is the only option that respects women’s sovereignty over their own bodies.”

“Everyone deserves the freedom to decide for themselves whether and when to become a parent,” added Terry Bellamak, ALRANZ National president.

The march will end at Parliament, where the crowd will hear speeches from Dame Margaret Sparrow, Jackie Edmonds of Family Planning, Terry Bellamak of ALRANZ, Tamatha Paul of VUWSA, and Jan Logie, Green MP and associate justice minister.

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