Abortion Rights AGM 2020: Nominations to the Executive Committee

The following people have nominated themselves to the Executive Committee of Abortion Rights:

Liza Caruana-Finkel

Lilly Burton

Judith Orr

Barbara Ntumy

Maddy Cooper

Josie Irwin

Kerry Abel

Eleanor Hill

Rose Keeping

Carolyn Simpson

Davinia Hamilton

Ann Cruse-Stoddart

Jillian Merchant

STATEMENTS

Liza Caruana-Finkel

I am passionate about abortion rights, an interest I developed while studying for a masters in Gender and Women’s Studies. Since then, I have been involved in research, campaigning and activism, volunteering, and writing on abortion. I am a helpline volunteer with Abortion Support Network, directly assisting clients in getting information and financial assistance for abortion-related travel. I am also a founding and active member of Malta’s pro-choice coalition, Voice for Choice. Through my role at the coalition, I have participated in panel discussions, speaking on the social perspective of abortion and the challenges faced by women in Malta. Additionally, I have joined the European Reproductive Justice Network, which is currently in its formative stage. In terms of research, I conducted a study on the personal abortion experiences of women in Malta for my dissertation. Moreover, a research article on medical doctors’ views on abortion that I co-authored was recently published in a peer reviewed journal. I am also involved in an ongoing abortion research project led by Dr Claire Pierson at the University of Liverpool. My further involvement is through writing and social media. In 2019, I carried out an internship at SRHM journal, during which I wrote a blog entry on the importance of rights and evidence-based knowledge on safe abortion. I have also written essays for an online magazine on relevant feminist topics, including abortion. In addition, I manage a few abortion-related social media accounts, including one  focused on eliminating abortion stigma. I acknowledge that more needs to be done in the UK to ensure that all pregnant people have access to safe, legal, local, and free abortion. I strongly believe that my knowledge and experience will be valuable to the advancement and implementation of Abortion Rights’ goals. I look forward to being part of the Executive Committee.

Lilly Burton

As a committed pro-choice activist and Abortion Rights member I am writing this statement with the interest of standing for the election of the Abortion Rights Executive committee. I have had two abortions before the age of 26 and these experiences have changed and shaped my life and career as a performer and writer.

I first became involved and aware of Abortion Rights UK when I attended their yearly counter protest at the Pro-Life Rally on May 11^th 2019. I engaged with the cause and positive sense of community that Abortion Rights brought to the event. Since then my  most recent show All Aboard! At Termination Station (ABATS) an autobiographical comedy cabaret about abortion-obvs has had an Award Winning run at the Brighton Fringe, followed by a sold out show at Camden Peoples Theatres Feminist Festival Calm Down Dear, performing at the Rose Theatre, Kingston as part of her award with The International Youth Arts Festival. ABATS was then selected out of 1,500 submission in the prestigouse Pint-Sized plays festival for new writing & in Novemeber I peformed alongside Amanda Palmer & Fern Brady at Abortion Rights UK fundraiser.

During the course of my run last year I approached Abortion Rights seeking out support and advice this led us to coming together and create All Aboard! Abortion Rights (ABAR) The idea for this project came from my experiences of performing ABATS and seeing how it broke down boundaries with audience members being able to talk about their experiences. ABAR is a collaborative arts-driven campaign, where we will be leading performance-based creative activism workshops aimed at young adults to educate and smash abortion stigma! Since then we decided to put on a fundraiser for Abortion Rights UK and spread awareness of our project launch which I went on to curate and put on at Poplar Union were we raised over 1.2K. During this time I also managed Abortion Rights social media accounts and organised for Abortion Rights campaigning manager and myself to be guests on the podcast Very Loose Women to dicuss the work of the organisation.

All Aboard! Abortion rights is at the begining of its development and we are hoping to promote the work of Abortion Rights with a new creative adgender of getting young people to use their voices through performance and support the pro-choice cause. Abortion Rights have help my show become much more then a piece of theatre is is now my campaign. I believe my perspective of being a creative will help contribute to a vibrant, dynamic and diverse executive committee.

Judith Orr

This month the first legal abortion services will begin in Northern Ireland, after a vote in Westminster decriminalised abortion there in the absence of a devolved government. This was a fantastic victory for everyone who had campaigned over many decades for women to have access to legal and safe abortion.

Now with some form of legal access across the island of Ireland the fight to deciminalise abortion in Britain has a greater potential to succeed than ever before. I have been on the EC for over a decade, I’m a socialist and am committed to building Abortion Rights as a broad inclusive campaigning organisation. I have helped in the organising of many different Abortion Rights events and actions and I’m author of the recent book, Abortion Wars, the fight for reproductive rights. I believe Abortion Rights can help lead and shape the debate and campaign to extend reproductive rights as well as oppose the anti abortion lobby whenever it mobilises.

Barbara Ntumy

I am running for the Abortiom Rights executive committee because I would like to continue to contribute towards the work that we do in ensuring a woman’s right to choose. It’s been a great honour to have served on the committee for the past 6 years but there still much work to do in defending, extending and ultimately the decriminalisation of a woman’s right to choose.

Maddy Cooper

2020 is the year to push hard for decriminalisation of Abortion in the UK. The defeat of the 8^th Amendment in Southern Ireland and the legalisation of Abortion in the North has pushed the argument for decriminalisation to the top of the agenda for us.

I want to build on the work I have done this past year and get Abortion Rights affiliated to more trade unions. Abortion rights is a trade union issue and we can tap into the movement to fund our campaign to decriminalise.

Josie Irwin

I am UNISON’s National Women’s Officer.

I have always championed women’s issues and sought to make a difference to their live at work and at home in both professional and political work roles.

Before making the move to UNISON, I was the lead negotiator for the Royal College of Nursing and held the role of National Staff Side Secretary for the NHS Council for 14 years. I have also worked in the NHS, as a HR Director for a London teaching hospital and in local government. I have a wide range of professional skills and experience to make a valuable contribution to the work of Abortion Rights.

I also have political experience as a councillor for the London Borough of Haringey from 1990 to 2013. I was chair of both the Housing and Social Services Committees, Chief  Whip of the Labour Group and Deputy Leader.

As Chair of the Board of Trustees for Oasis Project, a charity which supports women and girls affected by drugs and alcohol in Brighton and East Sussex, I have useful experience of the voluntary sector.

I believe passionately in supporting and defending women’s rights including the right to determine what happens to their bodies and would be a proud advocate for Abortion Rights.

Kerry Abel

Awareness of a woman’s right to choose is high at the moment, which is a great opportunity for us to consolidate support through trade unions, activists and health and education professionals.

I want to continue to increase our activities and our membership both addressing the lack of access both to abortion particularly in rural communities, improving our legislation – its high time abortion was decriminalised, and challenge abortion stigma by holding more cultural events.

We also have to challenge the bigots gathering outside abortion clinics. By organising grassroots activism and building on the support from politicians like Sadiq Khan and celebrities like Deborah Frances-White we can build opposition to events like March for ‘Life’ with our own March for Choice.

Eleanor Hill

I would very much like to continue as a member of the Abortion Rights Executive Committee representing both my own views and sharing those of the members of our affiliated group Abortion Rights Cardiff.

Following the very positive outcomes of our grassroots activism in Cardiff, including a Welsh government review of abortion access throughout Wales, we are now working alongside other local groups, including the newly formed Cardiff University Pro-Choice Society, and liaising with our local providers both to counter an aggressive push back from anti-abortionist groups and to increase public support for our pro-choice position.

As Secretary of Abortion Rights Cardiff, I know how important it is to work with others across the local community. By being part of the wider abortion rights community, local groups like ours can bring a voice to actions and planning that will benefit the campaign and in turn we also learn so much and develop our ideas by hearing about the experiences and ideas of others.

Rose Keeping

I am asking you to support me and elect me again to the EC of Abortion Rights. I am an Industrial officer for Unite the union and work to eradicate the very many attacks and negativity that women face, the obstructions put in the way of a Woman’s Right to Choose. With political elections putting into office parties on the right and giving more and more voice to the anti-women, anti-abortion organisations. One of the latest threats to a Woman’s Right to Choose is the growing presence of anti-abortionists’ voice in universities – that we must challenge.

As a full time official with Unite I always work to put the Equalities Agenda ???? couldn’t read… and talking to employers my job includes negotiations single and collective advocacy work and advice for members and more.

I am a member and part of the EC of the NAW – National Assembly of Women & on the steering committee of KONP – Keep Our NHS Public.

Carolyn Simpson

I am asking you to elect me again to the EC of Abortion Rights. I am  a full time official of Unite the union and the Women’s and Equality Officer for the London and Eastern Region so my every day work gives me access to speak to and advise committees and members of Unite, I am fully committed to equalities of which a Woman’s Right to choose is a large important issue. I work with other outside the union organisations including the National Assembly of Women I am a member of the EC.

Davinia Hamilton

I would like to express my intention to stand for election to the Abortion Rights Executive Committee. I am a dedicated pro-choice activist, originally from Malta, where abortion is banned in all cases.

I have been the Press and Campaigns Officer for Abortion Rights since September 2019. Before that, I interned at the Abortion Rights office for a month and, prior to that, I volunteered for Abortion Rights for a further two months. During my time working for Abortion Rights, I have organised a fundraising cabaret with Amanda Palmer guest starring, which raised over £3k for the campaign. I have also been involved in launching the Christmas fundraiser, managing social media, designing graphics for the campaign, co-ordinating volunteers, writing press releases, and dealing with day-to-day admin.

Besides my work with Abortion Rights, I am a performer and writer. I am currently working on a play based on the experiences of Maltese women who have had or have tried to have an abortion, despite the draconian laws. I would like to sit on the Executive Committee as I hope to play a part in shaping the campaign from the ground up. I believe that my experience and perspective, as a European migrant, as a woman from a country where abortion is banned, and as someone with detailed knowledge of the campaign, would make me a valuable member of a diverse and dedicated Executive Committee.

Ann Cruse-Stoddart

Jillian Merchant