Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527558
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 OCTOBER 2024 NEWS Expression of Interest For more info visit micas.art/get-involved or contact people@micas.art micas.art Closing at noon on Monday 14 th October 2024 Office Attendant (Retail) We're on the lookout for a motivated Part-Time Shop Assistant. If you want to be part of our sales team at the MICAS Shop, we want to hear from you. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Speaking to MaltaToday after participating in a pro-choice rally held in Valletta, Smyth draws parallels between Mal- ta's current situation and Ire- land's past. "Malta, like Ireland used to be before, is way back in the dark ages," she says, noting the stig- ma surrounding abortion and the pressure women face when seeking these services. "Banning abortion doesn't stop it; it just means women are under incredible pressure, stress and even placed in dan- gerous situations," she adds. Smyth refers to the 2022 case of American woman Andrea Prudente, who had to be airlift- ed from Malta to get an abor- tion in Spain because doctors here refused to terminate the pregnancy during a miscar- riage. "This case highlights the urgent need for change; we should all have autonomy when it comes to our bodies," she insists. Up until 2023, termination of a pregnancy was prohibited un- der all circumstances in Malta. An exception was introduced following the Prudente case by which if the life of a pregnant woman is at risk, an abortion can occur but only after ap- proval from a team of medical professionals. The legal amendment ap- proved by parliament was a wa- tered-down version of govern- ment's initial proposal to allow abortion even if the woman's health is at risk. The legal framework govern- ing abortion in Malta is one of the harshest in Europe, with women facing severe restric- tions that often push them to seek procedures abroad or self-medicate by obtaining abortive pills online. Nonetheless, abortion re- mains illegal and carries a pos- sible four-year prison sentence for the woman and a medical practice ban for the doctors involved. This draconian stand contrasts with Malta's progres- sive legislation when it comes to LGBTIQ+ rights. Only a few years ago, Ireland was in the same boat of restric- tive abortion rights, with many women having to travel to Brit- ain to go through the proce- dure. Abortion in Ireland became legal in 2018 when Irish voters in a referendum decided to end the country's ban. The decision allowed the government to in- troduce legislation that allows abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and between 12 and 24 weeks in exceptional circumstances. Smyth says she began her journey in activism in the late 1970s. "At that point for wom- en in Ireland we didn't have ac- cess to contraception, and we absolutely did not have access to abortion." She emphasises the impor- tance of women having agency over their own bodies: "What happens to me as a woman is something that I should fully participate in and have my own agency in actually deciding." Smyth says legalising abortion does not mean forcing every woman to go through with it. "When lesbian and gay mar- riage was introduced, nobody was forced into it; it's a choice. And similarly, with abortion, it's not about saying every woman in Malta has to go through with it." Smyth stresses the power of personal narratives in shaping public opinion. She says wom- en sharing their experiences with seeking abortions can humanise the issue because people can see the distress and the suffering they have to go through. She advocates for compre- hensive legislative reform to al- low abortions on request up to viability of the foetus, while en- suring access to quality health- care services. "I know that Maltese wom- en are absolutely determined to bring about this legislative change," Smyth asserts. Draw- ing from her experiences in Ireland's successful campaign for abortion rights, she un- derscores the critical role of activism: "When you want to change something, you have to actively say to your political representatives: 'This is what we want; this is what we need'." 'Banning abortion doesn't stop it… it just puts women's lives in danger' Aihbe Smyth: Catholics in Ireland made a distinction between the laws of the State and their own conscience