Pro-life groups attack abortion motion
JCRs debated the issue
The long-running controversy over OUSU’s policy on abortion has been reopened this week, after a motion was proposed which would mean affiliation with prochoice Abortion Rights groups. Ellie Cumbo, OUSU Vice-President (Women) proposed at the last OUSU Council that OUSU officially affiliate itself with the pro-life Abortion Rights group. The motion will be voted on this Friday.
This is an extension of OUSU’s existing Promoting Choice Campaign, which states its aim as, “To oppose any moves to restrict the current legal situation, and to work to ensure that no additional restrictions are imposed at a local level.” These steps by OUSU come as several JCRs, including St. John’s, Wadham and St. Antony’s this week passed motions supporting OUSU’s Promoting Choice Campaign and vowing to oppose any reduction in the nationwide time limit of 24 weeks on abortion.
Although a motion at University College on the subject was defeated, JCR President Josh Sasto said, “People’s moral views on abortion didn’t really come into it. The JCR felt that their views could be expressed in other ways, for example by petitions, rather than aligning the whole JCR to a policy when some members feel strongly against it on religious grounds.” The issue is also due to come up for debate at St. Hilda’s.
Darren Collins, of the Pro-Life Organisation, said, “Of course every JCR has the right to support abortion, but I do not believe that it is within their remit, or indeed OUSU’s, as it has no effect on students as students.
The lives of the student population of Oxford would be much better if their student unions focused on something they could actually help with rather than random political causes which are totally irrelevant to their academic lives, and which they will never make a difference to.” Ellie Cumbo said, “OUSU already operates a pro-choice policy, which we have always had. There are challenges every year, generally relating to its relevance as a student issue, but it always passes.
The argument from pro-lifers that it is not a student issue displays ignorance of how students are affected; provisions for abortion in Oxford are much poorer than in the surrounding areas.
“It takes five to six weeks to get an abortion in Oxford, and considering the fact that students are only here for 8 weeks before being turfed out by college to accommodate business conferences, there is a serious risk that they will be logistically unable to have the abortion at all, given the long waiting times and short periods actually spent in Oxford. “Official affiliation to Abortion Rights will not signify any change in our policy, it will merely make this policy a reality.
Navid Pourghazi, Wadham SU President said, “I am pleased that our college has asked the government to maintain its concern for the rights of current citizens over the rights of potential ones. OUSU will be getting all our support for the University wide campaign that I’m sure it will begin.”
11th May 2006