Northern Ireland

Pro-choice Derry women recognised by American magazine

Colette Devlin, Diana King and Kitty O’Kane have been named 'Global Thinkers of 2016' by American magazine Foreign Policy 
Colette Devlin, Diana King and Kitty O’Kane have been named 'Global Thinkers of 2016' by American magazine Foreign Policy  Colette Devlin, Diana King and Kitty O’Kane have been named 'Global Thinkers of 2016' by American magazine Foreign Policy 

THREE Derry women have been praised by an influential US magazine for the "righteous crime" of helping women in Northern Ireland access illegal abortion pills.

Diana King, Collette Devlin and Kitty O'Kane were named among Foreign Policy's 'Global Thinkers 2016'.

In May the three women handed themselves into police in Derry and provided evidence that they had allowed their addresses to be used for the delivery of abortion pills for women in the city.

They have yet to hear whether they are to be prosecuted.

The women said they hope their recognition in Washington on Monday will "embarrass" the British government and force it to intervene and change "ridiculous" abortion laws in Northern Ireland.

Unlike in Britain, access to abortion is only permitted if a woman's life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious risk to her mental or physical health.

Ms King said they took their stand after seeing other women taken to court for using abortion pills.

“The UK government has been told repeatedly by several UN treaty bodies that it cannot blame devolved government for the breach of women and girls’ rights in Northern Ireland.

Public opinion here has moved to support abortion law reform. But Northern Ireland's leaders refuse to acknowledge that," she said.

Foreign Policy said its 100 global thinkers have "demonstrated how private citizens can ease the suffering of others".

"They subverted traditional power structures to craft solutions to social, economic, and environmental problems."

Attempts to change Northern Ireland's law to allow abortions in limited cases of fatal foetal abnormalities have so far been blocked at Stormont, although ministers are currently considering the recommendations of a working group.