Free abortion healthcare pledged

But the cost of treatment is just one barrier of many Northern Ireland’s women and girls face.

Scotland and Wales have joined England and pledged to offer free abortion healthcare to women and girls who from Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has sickeningly strict abortion laws, and women and girls who have been travelling to England, Scotland or Wales for abortions have faced charges to have an abortion carried out by the NHS, despite being UK taxpayers – as well as having to pay for the journey.

Justine Greening, Minister for Women and Equalities, said that the Equalities Office would fund the payments for terminations in England on 29 June, and then Carwyn Jones, the Welsh first minister, announced on 3 July that the Welsh government will fund abortion healthcare for people from Northern Ireland.

The Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, had already pledged to explore funding for Northern Ireland women before the General Election, and has now confirmed her government’s commitment to doing so.

The three governments are now to work together to put together a funding plan.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas) has responded by removing all consultation and treatment fees for women resident in Northern Ireland.

But as Emma Campbell, co-chair of Alliance for Choice, said: “The provision of funded abortion healthcare in England, Scotland and Wales goes some way to reliving the financial pressure on those who have to travel for an abortion, however in addition to the cost of treatment, there are travel, accommodation and childcare considerations.

“Also, for those who are experiencing a foetal abnormality or reporting a sexual crime, will the return of foetal remains be provided for?

“The cost of treatment is just one barrier of many.”

Danielle Roberts from Alliance for Choice said that Alliance for Choice will continue to campaign for free, safe, legal abortion access.

“While this funding will undoubtedly help people who travel to access abortion in England, Scotland, and Wales we ultimately need the law to change in Northern Ireland so that people can access free, safe and legal abortion locally.

“Abortion access is a Human Rights matter and as signatory to Human Rights treaties the Westminster government could step in to reform the law here.

“We call on our allies in Great Britain to stand in solidarity with our on-going campaign to decriminalise abortion.”

But DUP MP Ian Paisley, speaking in the House of Commons as MPs debated the European Union (Approvals) Bill on 4 July, said: “I’m going to make it absolutely clear that the rights of the unborn child, in my view and in the views of people in my party and on this bench, trump any political agreement that had been put in place.

“We’re making that absolutely and abundantly clear, and if anyone thinks that we would take a view where we would trade that issue of life and the sanctity of life on a political deal, they don’t understand me and they don’t understand my party and they need to be aware of that.”

An opinion one can only counter with a quote by Dr Ciara Kelly – albeit relating to an appalling and shocking case in the Republic of Ireland not Northern Ireland – in the Irish Independent just last month.

She said:  ‘I find it hard myself to understand the mindset of someone who wants to equate the value of an embryo to that of a grown, living, breathing, thinking, feeling woman.

‘It seems so odd they can have such consideration for something the size of a pea – and so little for the terrible distress of the actually born.’

And Emma Campbell said that while this policy change from Wales, Scotland and England is a welcome step, it is not enough.

“We know that around 1000 women a year travel to England for abortions that up until now they have had to pay for privately,” she said.

“Unknown numbers of others risk prosecution by using safe but illegal pills.

“While this funding will help those who travel, it is important not to forget those who cannot travel for a multitude of reasons such as those who are too ill, those in a domestic violence situation or those with limited immigration status.”

We want the Stormont Assembly to recognise these issues and #trustwomen – as their counterparts in Wales, Scotland and England have.