Rise and Repeal: The annual March for Choice takes place this Saturday

On September 24th, women, men and children of Ireland will take to the streets of Dublin for the fifth annual March for Choice.

The plan of action is to meet at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square from 1.30 pm. The March to Dáil Éireann begins at 2 pm. But why take part in this year's March for Choice? Many reasons. However, the underlying reason is to fight for the right to choose. On the March's official Facebook page, the organisers say:

[Women] have been fighting for equal rights and equal opportunities since the birth of our conservative Catholic nation. We have made some progress; we have won the right to marry and divorce our partners irrespective of their gender; we have won the right to use contraceptives so that we may exercise a limited control over our reproductive lives, but in 2016, 100 years on, the equality promised in the proclamation hasn’t been realised. Women, trans men and non-binary people who may need to access abortion in Ireland, North and South, still don’t have the right to choose.

The 2016 theme is ‘Rise and Repeal’, "a comment on the failure of our Republic to fulfil the promise of equality made in 1916".

Despite high-profile backing and viral campaigns the "Repeal the 8th" issue is still in rocky territory. Everyone has a deeply personal opinion on the current abortion laws in Ireland, be they for or against a repeal. And whatever side you stand on, everyone deserves their say.

Because everyone has the right to have their say.

The collective voice to Repeal the Eighth is gaining strength and power because of the critical underlying message of 'choice'.

If you live abroad but want to be part of Saturday's March, over 14 protests will take place worldwide.