The Irish Family Planning Association on Tuesday launched a campaign to overturn the country's abortion ban and secure "safe and legal" abortions for Irish women, the Irish Independent reports (Donaghy, Irish Independent, 8/10). The campaign's 13-point plan includes trying to secure pre-election commitments on abortion from all political parties in the country (Donaghy, Irish Independent, 8/9). In addition, the group aims to hold a referendum to remove an article from the constitution that suggests that the life of a fetus is equivalent to the life of a pregnant woman (Irish Independent, 8/10). The group also will seek to build political support for revising the country's abortion ban, which results in more than 6,000 Irish women annually traveling to England to undergo the procedure (AP/Helgeland Arbeiderblad, 8/10). As part of the campaign, IFPA is supporting the case of three Irish women who earlier this week filed a lawsuit in the European Court of Human Rights challenging the country's abortion ban, claiming the law "jeopardizes their health and their well-being" because they had to travel to the United Kingdom to obtain an abortion (Irish Times, 8/10). Abortion is illegal in Ireland except when necessary to protect the life of a pregnant woman (Helm, BBC News, 8/11). As a result, many women travel to other European countries to undergo the procedure (Reuters Health, 8/10). The women claim the abortion ban violates parts of the European Convention of Human Rights, including the right to privacy in all family, home and personal interests and the right not to have public officials interfere with this freedom. The ban also violates an article in the convention that protects individuals from inhuman or degrading treatment, the lawsuit alleges (Reuters U.K., 8/10). IFPA Chair Catherine Forde said the campaign "is of unique significance, as it represents the first major initiative aimed at moving forward on abortion in this country," and criticized the government for its "lack of courage and leadership" in addressing abortion in a "realistic and rational way" (IFPA release, 8/9). Ireland's Pro-Life Campaign said it will "vigorously oppose any attempts by the IFPA to introduce abortion legislation," adding that IFPA has a "record of ignoring the humanity of the unborn child and the adverse effects [of abortion] on women" (Irish Independent, 8/9).