We've defended reproductive rights from religiously motivated restrictions since our founding.
Religion should not stand in the way of reproductive healthcare.
A desire to restrict reproductive rights, and to control women's bodies, is a hallmark of religious fundamentalism. We strongly support the right of women to have legal and safe abortions and access to emergency contraception.
Since its founding the National Secular Society has supported reproductive rights. In 1878 our founder and vice-president were prosecuted for making information about birth control accessible to working class women.
Throughout the world, reproductive rights are still under threat from theocrats. While individual religious people hold diverse views on abortion, every stage of progress in reproductive healthcare has been fought by religious organisations. Often these have involved virulent campaigns of intimidation and misinformation.
84% of people in the UK believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. This includes 76% of religious people and 94% of nonreligious people.
In the UK, emergency contraception can still sometimes be difficult to obtain. Some religious pharmacists have defied General Pharmaceutical Council guidance by refusing to sell it or even to dispense a prescription given to a woman after a consultation with her own doctor.
People of all religions and beliefs can have disagreements on the boundaries of bodily autonomy and reproductive rights. However, religious beliefs should not be used to restrict the bodily autonomy of other people.
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Latest updates
UK politicians lobby Malta with “misleading” abortion statements
Posted: Mon, 5 Dec 2022 11:28
The National Secular Society has criticised an attempt by UK politicians to stop Malta easing abortion restrictions as "misleading and dangerous".
According to Times of Malta a group of UK MPs and peers have lobbied Malta not to permit abortion even in cases where a woman's health could be in "serious danger".
A letter to Malta's prime minister Robert Abela, signed by twenty parliamentarians, expressed "extreme concern" at the plans.
Malta has one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the world. It is the only country in the European Union to prohibit abortion entirely.
It is estimated between 300 and 400 Maltese women travel abroad to have abortions each year, mostly to the UK (about 60%).
But the country recently unveiled legislative amendments that would allow doctors to perform an abortion if they believe the woman continuing the pregnancy "may put her life at risk or her health in grave jeopardy".
The amendments were proposed after American tourist Andrea Prudente was denied a life-saving termination of a non-viable pregnancy while on holiday in Malta, despite bleeding profusely.
Bishops add signatures to anti-abortion letter
The letter, whose signatories include bishop of Carlisle James Newcome and former archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, claims the proposed wording would "introduce abortion on demand" and open the "floodgates to abortion in Malta".
The letter cites the implementation of Britain's Abortion Act as evidence for this claim: "In 1967 our Parliament passed the Abortion Act and included very similar language".
There are only two sections of the Abortion Act that contain very similar language to the Maltese bill.
The first allows for abortion when "the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman".
The second allows for abortion when "the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated".
Of the 214,869 abortions performed in England and Wales in 2021, these sections were invoked in only 111 cases (0.0005% of cases).
The NSS said this means it is "inaccurate" to claim that the sections of Abortion Act that use "similar language" to the Maltese Bill have led to "abortion on demand".
NSS: "Appalling" that UK parliamentarians are lobbying to prevent reforms that would save women's lives
NSS campaigns officer Dr Alejandro Sanchez said: "This letter is shocking.
"It is appalling enough that UK parliamentarians are trying to keep Malta's draconian abortion laws – some of the strictest in the world – from reforms that would save women's lives.
"But what's truly outrageous is the scaremongering false comparisons between the UK's abortion laws and Malta's proposed amendments.
"Saying that ending pregnancies which could put a woman's life at risk or her health in grave jeopardy leads to abortion on demand is misleading and dangerous.
"If Malta retains its complete abortion ban, it could prove fatal to women."
The letter was reportedly signed by Lord Alton of Liverpool, Baroness Hollins, Lord Morrow, Martin Vickers MP, Lord McCrea of Magherafelt & Cookstown, Baroness O'Loan, Fiona Bruce MP, Bob Blackman MP, Lord Farmer, Baroness Cox, Lord McColl of Dulwich, Lord Carey, Lord Loomba CBE, Baroness Prashar, Lord Hylton, Lord Hay of Ballyore, Baroness Stroud, Lord Bishop of Carlisle, The Earl of Dundee, Lord Curry.
Women’s health strategy aims to end taboos
Posted: Wed, 20 Jul 2022 16:43
The government aims to end taboos on women's health issues including menstruation and contraception in its new strategy.
The government today published its woman's health strategy following a consultation last year.
The National Secular Society responded to the consultation urging the government to ensure women's health is prioritised over religious concerns. It raised reproductive rights, violence against women, and relationships and sex education as examples where the imposition of religion may have a negative impact.
The strategy document indicates the government has responded to some of these concerns:
- They aim for "high-quality, evidence-based education on women's health from an early age" and for women's health issues such as menstrual health and contraception to no longer be taboo subjects "anywhere in society". The NSS highlighted how some faith schools teach stigmatising ideas around contraception and menstruation in its consultation response.
- They will set out plans for sexual and reproductive health later this year. This will include increasing access and choice for all women who want contraception and ensuring women can continue to access robust and high-quality abortion services. The NSS emphasised the importance of protecting access to safe abortions and emergency contraception.
- They aim for greater awareness among the general population of specialist services for victims of sexual violence, including female genital mutilation (FGM). The NSS urged the government to tackle religiously-motivated misogyny, including FGM.
- Together with the recent NSS-supported ban on 'virginity testing' and 'virginity repair' hymenoplasty, the government is developing an awareness raising programme to "tackle the harmful misbeliefs that surround a woman's virginity". An impact assessment document on the hymenoplasty ban published on Tuesday said hymenoplasty is a form of 'honour'-based violence performed on women and girls "predominantly in highly conservative communities", particularly some Muslim and Jewish communities.
NSS: 'Welcome ambitions to tackle imposition of religious beliefs on women's health'
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: "We welcome the government's ambitions to tackle several of the women's health issues we raised, including improved relationships and sex education, access to contraception and abortion, and strategies to end violence against women.
"These are all areas where the imposition of religious beliefs has proved detrimental to women's rights, health and wellbeing.
"The government must now ensure it lives up to its ambitions without giving way to any demands from religious groups that want to reinforce conservative gender roles."
