In October 2019 abortion became lawful in NI with a new framework for abortion services coming into effect in March 2020. Although there has been enormous progress since then, abortion access in NI is still a long way off what it should be under the law. In this lesson we’ll explore why this is the case.
This lesson should take about 10 minutes to complete.
Watch the following video featuring Cara Sanquest as well as a clip from an interview with Stella Creasy. As you watch, think about the following questions:
Cara says that NI has changed dramatically from a place with one of the most restrictive abortion regimes in the world to a place with a really forward thinking framework. She is therefore not surprised that many people have resisted it. She also says that in order for the change in the law to be implemented, frontline workers, and others, need to be confident that they’re acting within the law. Although in theory the law says one thing, people need to make the law work in practice and this takes time. Anti-abortion activists are constantly trying to undermine this confidence, to make frontline workers and others doubt their actions and decisions. Countering these activities is every bit as important as changing the law.
Stella is very realistic about the continuing challenges faced, even after the law is changed. She says that it was never going to be easy to resist the strong pushback from those opposing abortion. But she also advises that we focus on the longer term and on what has been achieved. In other words, the work of securing abortion rights, like any rights, is never done. There will always be forces that want to restrict or take away our human rights and we will always have to actively work against them.