Abortion

Controversial proposals to tighten Poland's already-strict abortion laws have been effectively shelved by MPs. The bill, which was introduced under a citizen's initiative mechanism by the right-wing Life and Family Foundation, would have removed fatal foetal abnormality as a grounds for abortion.

New measures allowing women in England to take abortion pills at home during the coronavirus pandemic should be extended to Northern Ireland, campaigners have said. The Department of Health in England yesterday confirmed that it would press ahead with previously withdrawn plans to allow women in Eng

New regulations allowing for access to abortion in Northern Ireland on request in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy have been laid in Parliament. Abortion will also be available up to 24 weeks where continuing the pregnancy would risk injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or gi

Two midwives who were denied employment in Sweden because of their refusal to participate in abortions have had their application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) declared inadmissible. Ellinor Grimmark and Linda Steen, who were represented by Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers, wer

The prosecution of a woman who bought abortion pills for her teenage daughter did not breach human rights laws, the High Court in Belfast has ruled. The woman was charged with two counts of unlawfully procuring and supplying the abortion drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, with intent to procure a

The prosecution of a woman who bought abortion pills for her teenage daughter has been formally dropped following the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland yesterday. This morning, Belfast Crown Court formally discharged the mother from prosecution on two charges of unlawfully procuring

A last-ditch attempt to stop the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland by rushing a bill through Stormont in a single day has failed. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which is opposed to abortion in all circumstances, attempted to introduce the Defence of the Unborn Child Bill 2019 y

An 158-year-old law criminalising abortion in Northern Ireland will be repealed at midnight tonight under a law passed by MPs this summer. Under section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act 2019, sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 are repealed in Northern I

The UK Government has published guidance for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland on abortion law changes which will come into effect later this month if devolution is not restored. Under section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill, secondary legislation providing for access

A woman who had to travel to England for a termination after being told that her unborn child had a fatal foetal abnormality has been successful in her challenge to Northern Ireland's abortion law. Following the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that the relevant legislation is incompatible with Artic

The Northern Ireland Office will soon launch an "awareness campaign" to set out how it plans to implement a law requiring abortion access and same-sex marriage to be introduced if devolution is not restored later this month. The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act 2019 requires the Northern I

New Zealand is set to decriminalise abortion under new plans intended to bring the law "into line with many other developed countries". Under the present legal framework, which has remained unchanged since 1978, an abortion is only lawful in certain circumstances, including where continuing the preg

Plans to extend abortion access and same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland have been approved by the House of Lords, following revisions to the process and timetable. MPs voted last week to amend the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill to include provisions on abortion and marriage which will

Abortion access and same-sex marriage will be extended to Northern Ireland through secondary UK legislation if a Northern Ireland Executive is not formed by October under plans approved by MPs yesterday. In a free vote, MPs voted by 332-99 and 383-73 to support amendments to the Northern Ireland (Ex

A key Westminster committee has called on the UK government to take action to address UN findings about the human rights impact of Northern Ireland's restrictive abortion laws. In a report published today, the women and equalities committee said there had been several significant developments since