NI abortion laws violate women’s rights: UN
THE UK violates women’s human rights by criminalising abortions in Northern Ireland, a UN committee has said.
Abortion laws here are much stricter than elsewhere in the UK. A termination is only allowed if a woman’s life is at risk or there is a serious or permanent risk to her mental health.
Rape, incest and fatal foetal abnormalities are not circumstances in which an abortion can be performed legally.
The UN Committee on eliminating discrimination against women said great harm and suffering was caused by carrying unwanted pregnancies full term.
It said: “The systematic nature of the violations stems from the
deliberate retention of criminal laws and state policy disproportionately restricting access to sexual and reproductive rights, in general, and highly restrictive abortion provision, in particular.
“Westminster and Northern Ireland authorities acknowledge the magnitude of the phenomenon and choose to export it to England where Northern Ireland women travel to access abortions.”
Women receive free terminations in other parts of the UK, including those who travel from Northern Ireland.
The report added: “The committee assesses the gravity of the violations in Northern Ireland in light of the suffering experienced by women and girls who carry pregnancies to full term against their will due to the current restrictive legal regime on abortion. It notes the great harm and suffering resulting from the physical and mental anguish of carrying an unwanted pregnancy to full term, especially in cases of rape, incest and severe foetal impairment.” It said women were torn between complying with the law or risking prosecution.
Human Rights Commission chief commissioner Les Allamby said the situation was wrong and violated women’s human rights.
The commission brought a case on the issue to the UK Supreme Court.
The UN committee report called on the UK Government to change the law to decriminalise abortion and to provide greater access to abortion for women and girls in Northern Ireland.
Grainne Teggart from Amnesty said: “This damning report from the United Nations confirms what Amnesty has long said, Northern Ireland’s draconian abortion laws are a daily violation of the rights of women and girls.”