Still fighting for women's choice

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"For millions of women, even the limited provisions of the 1967 Act have not been implemented." will be holding a national conference on on: Saturday June 23 (provisional cate) in: London (venue to be confirmed)

Open to: delegates from women's and *with women from the Labour Party and trade unions, representatives from women's groups and organisations to talk about the services they offer with local authority funding: child-care, women's centres, training and employment, and why we must *women from areas not directly affected by the abolition of the metropolitan authorities. In these areas, where the white, male, right wing has ruled for a long time, how can women break through, and direct council services to their needs?

If you'd like to receive notice of our conference or would like to be involved, contact Women's Fightback, 10b Landseer Road, London N19, or phone Gerry (789 7587) or Mary (263 2073).

IN OCTOBER, 1983, the National Abortion Campaign split to form two groups:

one, the new National Abortion Campaign, which continues to fight for the original demands of free abortion on demand and woman's right to choose; the other the Women's Reproductive Rights Campaign.

NAC held its first conference since the split on Saturday, February 25, in London.

It was well-attended, constructive and positive.

Abortion facilities in the National Health Service are under attack like the whole NHS, and attempts also seem likely to reduce the present time limit for abortions from 28 weeks to 24 weeks, either through a government Bill or by a Private Members Bill.

This move is based on the fact that some foetuses are born before 28 weeks, and survive.

20 weeks It seems to have wide support amongst the British Medical Association and MPs. But in effect it would mean a reduction of the limit to 20 weeks, because of the margin of error which doctors allow. Only about 1% of all abortions are performed after 20 weeks, and these are mainly on young women, or the result of avoidable delays and/or the late stage at which some foetal abnormalities can be detected.

The Conference felt that we should oppose the shorter limit, and also' put our case for better abortion facilities, ana more research into technology for earlier diagnosis of foetal abnormality.

If these demands were won there would be far fewer late abortions than the present 1%.

Similarly, the Conference felt that we should not merely defend the NHS against cuts and privatisation, but fight for an extension and improvement of gynaecology services. In particular, we need WOMEN: FIGHTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT CUTS!

ment organisations and individuals.

Our conference will include: keep these services; *women saying "No!" women back into the home. thanks!

NH more day-care abortion centres, and state-funded well woman clinics.

We opposed setting up women's self-help groups as a teminist form of privatisation, and a diversion from the struggle for better services on the NHS, to be controlled by the workers and by the women who use them.

Anti-cuts Women suggested that local NAC groups should involve 1 hemselves in NHS anti-cuts camp: ligns, making abortion and contr ıceptive provision central of such campaigns.

Abortion waiting lists

al t WOMEN'S FIGHTBACK be holding a national conference Tory policy of driving Victorian values? No growing, and women often have

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PARTION CAMPAIGN

Mary Wilkins reports the NAC conference.