Take Action! Will you write to Theresa May? We have drafted a template letter that you can send directly to the Prime Minister through our website.
Following last week’s referendum in the Republic of Ireland, in which voters overwhelmingly supported the legalisation of abortion, the pressure is now on Prime Minister Theresa May to allow free, safe, and legal access to abortion in Northern Ireland. Humanists UK and Northern Ireland Humanists have proudly campaigned for the recognition of women’s sexual and reproductive rights in Northern Ireland for many years, and now believe there is a strong opportunity to bring about change.
The law governing abortion in Northern Ireland is one of the most restrictive in Europe and the criminal sanctions imposed are amongst the harshest in the world, with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment.
Current restrictions force women to either travel to the UK to receive treatment, risk prosecution for procuring illegal online abortion pills, or continue their pregnancies against their wishes and in violation of their rights. There is no exception made for pregnancies that arise as a result of sexual crime or where there is a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality.
While some argue that abortion is a devolved matter, responsibility for upholding human rights across the United Kingdom rests with the UK Government in Westminster. Regardless of whether or not the Northern Ireland Assembly is sitting, therefore, it is the UK Government’s responsibility to act.
Northern Ireland Humanists Coordinator Boyd Sleator commented, ‘The result of the referendum in the Republic of Ireland has made the restrictions on free, safe, and legal access to abortion in Northern Ireland even more untenable than it was before. Women living in Northern Ireland should not be left behind, so we encourage all those who support a woman’s right to choose to make their views known to the Prime Minister.’
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For further comment or information, please contact Humanists UK Campaigns Officer Rachel Taggart-Ryan on rachel@humanists.uk or 07951 176 245, or Northern Ireland Humanists Coordinator Boyd Sleator on boyd.sleator@nihumanists.org or on 07470 395090.
Write to Theresa May using our template letter here: https://humanists.uk/what-you-can-do-to-help/nowforni/
Read more about Humanists UK’s campaigns work on abortion: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/public-ethical-issues/sexual-and-reproductive-rights/
Humanists UK intervened in a case before the Supreme Court, brought by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) against the Northern Ireland Government, which focused on whether abortion should be legal in the cases of (i) women with pregnancies where the foetus cannot survive birth, (ii) women whose pregnancies arise from rape or incest, and (iii) women with serious malformation of the foetus. A judgement on this case is pending.
At Humanists UK, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. Our work brings non-religious people together to develop their own views, helping people be happier and more fulfilled in the one life we have. Through our ceremonies, education services, and community and campaigning work, we strive to create a fair and equal society for all.
Northern Ireland Humanists is a part of Humanists UK, working with the Humanist Association of Ireland.