The Long Road Ahead For Abortion & Same-Sex Marriage In Northern Ireland

The Long Road Ahead For Abortion & Same-Sex Marriage In Northern Ireland

Emma Gallen, Alliance For Choice
10 July 2019

Last year, when the results of Ireland’s big referenda on same-sex marriage and abortion rights came, people knew what was coming. There had been a build up, and they were ready to celebrate (or commiserate) surrounded by those they had campaigned alongside for decades.

By contrast, last night in Northern Ireland, after MPs in Westminster surprised us all by actually voting in favour of liberalising abortion and extending same-sex marriage to us if our executive – Stormont – isn’t sitting by 21st October (ICYMI they’ve been on hiatus since January 2017), festivities were a bit more last minute.

Continued: https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2019/07/237483/abortion-rights-northern-ireland

Northern Ireland abortion: Westminster inquiry mounts pressure on UK Government to reform law

Northern Ireland abortion: Westminster inquiry mounts pressure on UK Government to reform law
Women and Equality Committee report makes clear UK Government responsible for addressing breach of women’s rights in Northern Ireland

25 Apr 2019

The Women and Equalities Committee have today (25 April) published their inquiry report on abortion in Northern Ireland. Amnesty International UK and the Family Planning Association have welcomed the report and called on the UK Government to take immediate action.
The report identifies serious concerns with the abortion law and makes a series of important recommendations on the law, policy and practice governing abortion access for women in Northern Ireland. Critically, it calls on the UK Government to address the rights breaches found by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

Continued: https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/northern-ireland-abortion-westminster-inquiry-mounts-pressure-uk-government-reform

New inquiry: Abortion law in Northern Ireland

New inquiry: Abortion law in Northern Ireland
The Women and Equalities Committee launches inquiry looking into abortion law in Northern Ireland.

20 September 2018

Background

In Northern Ireland, abortion is only legal in circumstances where the woman’s life is in danger or the pregnancy poses a serious, permanent or long-term risk to her health and wellbeing.

In 2016, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women conducted an inquiry on the subject of access to abortion in Northern Ireland. It concluded that the rights of women in Northern Ireland were being violated by restrictions on access to abortion, and argued that devolution of power over criminal law to the Northern Ireland Assembly did not remove the responsibility of the UK Government for this matter.

Continued: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/women-and-equalities-committee/news-parliament-2017/abortion-law-northern-ireland-launch-17-19/?mc_cid=b515a2798a&mc_eid=daef22644f