Human rights group urges UK government to deliver abortion rights in Northern Ireland

By Maria McCann

A human rights organisation says the UK government has a responsibility to deliver abortion rights in Northern Ireland.

The call comes ahead of a meeting today between Prime Minister Theresa May and DUP leader Arlene Foster to continue negotiations that would allow the Conservative Party to form a minority Government. 

The DUP previously vetoed attempts at Stormont to reform the strict laws here surrounding terminations.

Grainne Teggart from Amnesty International says the Conservative party must not trade away long overdue reform during talks with the DUP today.

“The UK Government has a responsibility to deliver abortion rights for women in Northern Ireland. A failure to do so would be a cruel betrayal of women. Whilst health and justice are devolved matters, the UK Government is responsible for upholding human rights.

“We are today calling on the next UK Government to commit, particularly in the absence of functioning devolution, to prioritise bringing Northern Ireland’s abortion laws in line with international human rights standards. This must include the decriminalisation of abortion”.

The warning also comes as talks to re-establish the devolved institutions at Stormont continue. The talks have a deadline of June 29 to restore devolution or reinstate direct rule.

In a pair of related judgments on 30 November 2015 and 16 December 2015, the High Court in Belfast ruled that the existing abortion law in Northern Ireland was incompatible with the ECHR Article 8 insofar as it prevents access to termination of pregnancy in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and rape or incest.

International Human Rights committees have previously found Northern Ireland’s abortion laws to be in breach of human rights standards and have called upon the UK Government to remedy this.