And in Brussels, Belgium, over a thousand people marched near European Union buildings Thursday, calling for safe, legal access to abortion across Europe. Many of the protesters focused on Ireland and Northern Ireland, where abortions are legal only when they preserve the life of the mother. This is Emma Cassidy, one of the protesters.

Emma Cassidy: “When I talk to my work colleagues in Brussels, they’re still consistently shocked at the situation for women in Ireland. The Eighth Amendment of our constitution practically makes abortion in all situations, apart from the risk to a woman’s life, illegal. So it’s very important for me to be here, particularly at a time when we know we have a referendum coming up soon.”

The event marked International Safe Abortion Day and came as the World Health Organization warned that, worldwide, 25 million unsafe abortions occur each year. To see Democracy Now!’s interview with Irish abortion rights campaigner Emma Campbell as we reported from Belfast, Northern Ireland, last month, you can go to our website at democracynow.org.