The impact of the referendum on the 8th Amendment of the Irish Constitution was felt not only in the Republic of Ireland but also here in Northern Ireland.
We now stand alone as the only region in the British Isles where both the right to life of the woman and the unborn child will beheld in a delicate legal balance.
Our law in Northern Ireland states “it is lawful to perform an operation in NI for the termination of a pregnancy where (i) it is necessary to preserve the life of a woman; or (ii) there is a risk of real and serious adverse effect on her physical; or mental health, which is either long-term or permanent”.
This law protects and defends the life of women as well as the life of the unborn child. Our law does not mean that women’s lives are at risk.
As a pregnancy care charity, LIFE NI is at the heart of the everyday struggles of those who face pregnancy crisis. Our experiences tell us that more often than not, it is the external circumstances which a woman, or family, may face that is in fact the crisis and not the unborn baby she is carrying during pregnancy.
We must talk about the baby, because the reality is that from the first moment of conception a unique genetic code is formed and as each day passes this new member of our human family grows and develops until they are ready to be born.
However, we must do better in eradicating the crisis some women face in such a way that we enable and empower mothers to continue with their pregnancy, not end their baby’s life.
This is the goal for LIFE NI as we face attempts to legalise abortion in Northern Ireland: to advocate for the care and services which many women need during pregnancy. These are services which we provide as a charity, such as non-directional counselling for a range of pregnancy related issues, including when an unborn baby has been diagnosed with a life-limiting condition; accommodation for homeless pregnant women; practical help and support for families in pregnancy; up-skilling classes for young mothers; and education for our youth around the development of life before birth, relationships and abortion.
We believe our services must be supported by our government, and expanded throughout our health and social services, to include focused pathways of care if an unborn baby has been diagnosed with a life-limiting condition; widely available counselling for women in crisis pregnancy; affordable childcare for families; flexible working hours for families and provision to support young pregnant women who may still be completing academic studies.
This is our goal because pregnancy matters and we do not want Northern Ireland to follow the path of Great Britain where there is one abortion every three minutes, 20 abortions every hour. In 50 years, since the 1967 Abortion Act was enacted, nearly 9 million lives have been lost to abortion. In contrast, a report from the collaborative campaign “Both Lives Matter” revealed that approximately 100,000 people are alive here today because Northern Ireland did not enact the 1967 Abortion Act.
As the Republic of Ireland travels a path which will no longer afford legal protection to the unborn child, LIFE NI commits to promoting a life-affirming law, culture and services. This is where the conversation should now focus.
Abortion is not a measure of women’s equality, it is not empowering for women or babies, and LIFE NI believes that women and babies deserve better than abortion.
:: Marion Woods is chair of pregnancy care charity LIFE NI.
