The Irish Constitution’s protection for women in the home has been described as “out of date” and in need of change by officials of the Department of Justice. According to briefing notes submitted to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald by a task force established by the department to examine recommendations made by the United Nations Human Rights Council and various advocacy groups on Article 41.2, amendment of the article is “favoured”, be that through making it gender-neutral or by repeal. The task force concedes that any change may prove controversial. Article 41.2 says the State “recognises that by her life within the home, woman gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved…“The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”

A football coach in the United States has launched a legal action against a school which fired him for praying after games. Joe Kennedy was formerly the coach for the Bremerton High School junior varsity American Football team in Washington State. A committed Christian, he would pray after games, “giving thanks for what the players just did and the opportunity to be part of it”. His example led players from his own and other teams to also pray, but – after eight years – the school district suddenly asked him to stop praying or kneeling at games. He was subsequently dismissed from his coaching role. Kennedy is now taking a case to regain his job to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. His legal team has pointed out that a Buddhist coach who routinely prays during games has not faced similar sanction.

Bishop Kevin Doran of Elphin has said the Church in Ireland needs to “seriously review” the practical, emotional, and spiritual supports it offers to those preparing for marriage.

Addressing pilgrims at Knock basilica, Dr Doran referred to the universal Church’s two recent synods on marriage and the family and reiterated the Pope’s message that marriage is “a responsibility of the whole Christian community and it is not just about formal courses. It is also about sharing experience and sharing a vision”. This, he said, gave impetus to present marriage in a more positive light. “Too often we have focused on rules and regulations and we have found it difficult ‘to present marriage as a dynamic path to personal development and fulfilment’,” he said.

 The family of a boy who died in the care of Health Service Executive (HSE) has called for an independent commission of inquiry to young deaths in care, accusing the body of numerous breaches of international and children’s rights law. The family of ‘Adam’ has said that the latest report by the National Review Panel (NRP) into the boy’s death and 12 others in care is a “whitewash” and it questioned the NRP’s independence. ‘Adam’, who had a learning disability, was placed into care when he was 13 and took his own life at 14 after an alleged catalogue of failings by HSE social workers linked to his case.

The Pro-Life Campaign (PLC) has accused pro-abortion groups of closing ranks and keeping women “in the dark” after the exposure of poor standards of care at Marie Stopes abortion clinics in Britain. Reacting to news that Marie Stopes clinics have suspended some abortion procedures after concerns from the Care Quality Commission, PLC spokesperson Cora Sherlock pointed to the 2012 death of a woman following her termination at a Marie Stopes clinic and said nothing had been done at that time. “Avoiding ‘bad press’ appears more important to some than informing women about the very real threats to their health and lives,” Ms Sherlock said. “At last a spotlight is being put on the problem but I have little confidence much will change given the deep-seated reluctance to challenge the abortion industry in any meaningful way.”

The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria have criticised proposals to legislate for abortion in the country. Responding to plans by Minister of Health Isaac Adewole to offer contraception and abortion to citizens, the Bishops issued a statement in which they “condemned the recent move by the Minister of Health, Prof Adewole in collaboration with the foreign agencies to commit the federal government to increasing the culture of contraception and subsequently, abortion among our people”. Issuing the statement, Bishop Felix Ajakaye added: “Our youth and women need better power supply, potable water, good roads, better health and educational institutions more than these contraceptives. Our country must reject this relentless offer of anti-life incentives under the guise of foreign aid in order not to destroy our beautiful culture.”

Campaigners against a new screening process for Down Syndrome in Britain have said their warnings of increased abortions are being ignored by the government. The group, Don’t Screen Us Out, says that Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) will see ever more abortions as parents receive a diagnosis for Down Syndrome. Already in England and Wales, at least 92% of babies receiving this diagnosis are aborted. Don’t Screen Us Out want to delay the introduction of the test until there is a full ethical review to ensure that NIPT complies with human rights obligations. The British government is reportedly on the cusp of approving the new screening.

Colombia has ended plans for the introduction of transgender programmes in schools following massive nationwide protests. President Juan Manuel Santos announced that “neither the Ministry of Education nor the national government has implemented, has promoted, or will promote so-called gender ideology”. In an apparent attempt to limit the political fallout of the transgender programme, the President added that the booklet at the centre of the programme – produced in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund and UNICEF – was not an official document, despite bearing the name of Colombia’s education minister, Gina Parody, and the logo of the Ministry of Education.