
Savita Halappanavar
Savita Halappanavar died, or was killed, because an Irish hospital refused to perform a medically necessary abortion until they were absolutely positively sure the fetal heartbeat had stopped. The life of the mother was of no concern. Savita Halappanavar spent more than two days in agony, and died, or was killed, in agony.
The agony of Savita Halappanavar is a commonplace globally, according to the UN’s The State of World Population 2012, released today. From Poland to Armenia to Uganda to Swaziland to India to Nicaragua to the United States, and all points between and beyond, pregnant women, women in childbirth, women die in agony, thanks to criminalization, stigma, public policy and more.
They die in agony like so many prisoners, begging for care, screaming for mercy. They receive neither. Why? What is a global culture of women-dying-in-agony? A little over 50 years ago, Frantz Fanon had an answer to that question: “Le colon oubliait singulièrement qu’il s’enrichissait de l’agonie de l’esclave.” “The colonist forgot strangely enough that he was getting rich on the agony of the slave. In fact what the colonist was saying to the colonized subject: “Work yourselves to death, but let me get rich!”
The agony of Savita Halappanavar is part of the ongoing global crisis of the wretched and the damned: women. Slavery has not ended; it has simply changed clothes for the new season. Colonialism has not ended; it has moved the furniture around. The colonists continue to forget strangely enough and continue to enrich themselves on the agony of women.
(Photo credit 1: The Irish Times) (Photo Credit 2: The Journal)
[…] within its behavior as an institution, as crimes against women are committed in member states? The death of Savita Halappanavar for denied therapeutic abortion in Ireland is only one of numerous cases of women being killed or […]
#Ireland The agony of Savita Halappanavar http://t.co/DA8y1tpjjq
‘Never again’: Vigils mark 5th anniversary of Savita’s death https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/never-again-vigils-mark-5th-anniversary-of-savita-s-death-1.3272923
How the death of Savita Halappanavar changed the abortion debate http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/analysis/how-the-death-of-savita-halappanavar-changed-the-abortion-debate-461787.html
Five Years After Indian Woman Who Was Denied an Abortion Died, Will Ireland Finally Reform Its Laws? https://thewire.in/191666/five-years-indian-woman-denied-abortion-died-will-ireland-finally-reform-laws/
Ireland’s shame: the death of Savita Halappanavar – The Story podcast https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/audio/2018/mar/08/irelands-shame-the-death-of-savita-halappanavar-the-story-podcast
Head of Savita Halappanavar inquiry calls for Yes vote https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/head-of-savita-halappanavar-inquiry-calls-for-yes-vote-1.3504214
Savita Halappanavar’s father thanks Irish voters for ‘historic’ abortion vote https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/26/savita-halappanavar-father-thanks-irish-voters-for-historic-abortion-vote
Yes campaigners want Irish abortion legislation to be ‘Savita’s law’ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/27/ireland-abortion-law-named-after-savita-halappanavar
Savita Halappanavar’s parents hail Irish abortion vote http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44274313#
How the death of Savita Halappanavar revolutionised Ireland https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/how-the-death-of-savita-halappanavar-revolutionised-ireland-1.3510387
‘Savita!’: why the Irish abortion vote touched women the world over https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/30/savita-why-the-irish-abortion-vote-touched-women-the-world-over
Actor Emma Watson writes open letter to ‘passionate, vivacious leader’ Savita Halappanavar https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/actor-emma-watson-writes-open-letter-to-passionate-vivacious-leader-savita-halappanavar-1.3647570
Anniversary vigil for Savita Halappanavar in Galway City https://galwaydaily.com/news/anniversary-vigil-for-savita-halappanavar-in-the-city/
Coroner flags Savita guidelines ahead of McEvoy inquest https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/coroner-flags-savita-guidelines-ahead-of-mcevoy-inquest-1.4050265
Savita Halappanavar remembered eight years after her death https://www.irishcentral.com/news/savita-halappanavar-ireland-death
Death of pregnant woman ignites debate about abortion ban in Poland https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/07/europe/poland-abortion-ban-march-intl/index.html
Polish ‘Savita’ case sparks protests against restrictive abortion laws https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/polish-savita-case-sparks-protests-against-restrictive-abortion-laws-1.4718532
Vigil marks nine years since death of Savita Halappanavar https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/vigil-marks-nine-years-since-death-of-savita-halappanavar-1.4713486
‘Her Heart Was Beating Too’: The Women Who Died After Abortion Bans https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/29/opinion/heartbeat-abortion-bans-savita-izabela.html
Killed by abortion laws: five women whose stories we must never forget https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/may/07/killed-by-abortion-laws-five-women-whose-stories-we-must-never-forget
Abortion: the story of suffering and death behind Ireland’s ban and subsequent legalization https://theconversation.com/abortion-the-story-of-suffering-and-death-behind-irelands-ban-and-subsequent-legalization-182812