Anti-abortion poster given green light

By Michael McHugh, PA

An anti-abortion poster campaign in Northern Ireland is to go ahead after advertising regulators rejected complaints.

Billboards with the slogan "ABORTION KILLS BABIES: Repeal Section 9, Sign the petition SPUC.org.uk/repeal" were launched by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC).

A major change liberalising access to terminations was introduced in March.

SPUC's Northern Ireland political officer, Liam Gibson, said: "The design of the posters was very simple and in no way sensational.

"Abortion is a black and white issue and the ads reflect that by stating 'Abortion kills babies' in white letters on a black background.

"Of course, people who want to sanitise abortion pretend that a foetus isn't a baby but it is an inescapable fact that every abortion kills a baby."

An investigation was launched by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after it received calls for the billboards to be banned.

Some of the complaints challenged whether the use of the word "baby" was misleading "as they understood that this was not a medically recognised term in this context".

The ASA ruled against taking action and said the adverts comply with the Human Rights Act, which defends the right to freedom of expression.

New official regulations allow terminations on request in Northern Ireland for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks where there is a risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or girl.

Abortion will also be available in cases of severe and fatal foetal anomalies, with no gestational limit.

MPs at Westminster legislated for the change while the Stormont Assembly was not sitting following a three-year row between powersharing partners Sinn Fein and the DUP which was resolved in January.

Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland campaign manager, said: "The ad campaign is a shameful attempt to roll back our right but it will not succeed.

An anti-abortion poster campaign in Northern Ireland is to go ahead after advertising regulators rejected complaints.
Billboards with the slogans including "Abortion kills babies" were launched by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC).

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) April 23, 2020

"Northern Ireland is a pro-choice society and this healthcare is now legal.

"During this pandemic, more than ever, women need accessible, safe abortion healthcare.

"Lockdown is an additional barrier which must be addressed by the Government allowing both abortion pills to be taken at home."

She said interim early medical termination services are available through a new central access point.

"The Department of Health must urgently commission full abortion services as set out in our new regulations."

Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin has urged politicians at Stormont to urgently debate the matter.

Stormont's two main parties are at opposite ends of the debate over abortion.

The DUP has previously prevented legal change to its prohibition in almost all circumstances in Northern Ireland.

Discussions in the divided ministerial Executive are continuing on the exact shape of provision.

Women are able to travel to Great Britain for procedures.

Journeys have been complicated by restrictions designed to limit the spread of the coronavirus.