THE obstacles women need to overcome to exert control over their bodies | are different all over the world.
But if one thing became clear from the first of a series of forums organised by the Campaign for Abortion Rights, it was that their right to fertility control, writes DODIE WEPPLER.
Manuela Lombardo from the Committee for Information on Sterilisation and Abortion spoke at the London meeting on Friday 27 October about how the new abortion law in passca by only minc votes in June — would not be mpiemenica witnout a massive struggle led by women. She stressed that it isn't as ibera a the press claim.
A major problem for Italian women is the Catholic Church - especially the immediate excommunication which hangs over the heads of medical staff who implement the law. Anne Connolly, from Dub.
Well Women Clinic, explained that the Church was a major obstacle for counsellors at the clinic - the only place which does Rally where in the South of Ireland Zulma Rivera the Committee for Puerto Ricar Independence, said that for women in colonial countries fertility control involves a fight to end forced sterilisation.
The International Campaigr for Abortion Rights is hoping that the next forum — Black Women Speak Out will many of the issues involved.
What do the organisers hope to achieve with these highly informative forums? Cam paign activists at the meeting argued that the only guarantee success for women's struggles will be if they have an internationalist perspective.
More concretely, the British campaigners have agreed to coordinate ar international dar of action on 31 March.
•We will need a tremendous effort to get this united action oll the ground. The response has been tremendous to date But now we need help to raise funds, translate material. organise the forums, plan pickets at embassies, and sO The success of Friday's meeting can best be measured by the fact that every single one of the forty people present signed up to do just that. Socialist Challenge 9 November 1978 Page 7