How we have campaigned so far – Time for change

How we have campaigned so far

May 2001, FPA initiated proceedings against the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) in Northern Ireland. We applied for a Judicial Review into the medical practices relating to abortion and the provision of abortion services in Northern Ireland.

March 2002 The Review was heard by Mr Justice Brian Kerr. Justice Kerr suggested that although the Department should not be compelled to issue guidelines, it would be prudent to do so.

May 2004 FPA in Northern Ireland appealed against the result of Northern Ireland's Judicial Review of abortion services.

January 2007 The DHSSPS issued draft guidelines on abortion to health professionals.

April 2007 FPA wrote a response to the consultation on the draft guidelines which was submitted to the DHSSPS.

July 2008 FPA launched Time for Change, our campaign for women's rights to abortion in Northern Ireland.

We launched Time for Change with a massive postcard drop to MPs and the Prime Minister campaigning to extend abortion to Northern Ireland by amending the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill. Since then we've secured amazing public support and our campaign goes on stronger than ever.

Background information

• Guidance on abortion from Northern Ireland (FPA press release).
• Giving women in Northern Ireland the right to choose (FPA press release).
• UN concluding that abortion should be available in Northern Ireland (FPA press release).
• The anti abortion group's challenge to abortion guidelines in Northern Ireland (external site).

Our petitions

The first FPA petition

In September 2008 we launched our first petition to the Prime Minister to give women in Northern Ireland the same right to abortion as women in Great Britain. The petition closed in September 2009.

Despite 3,301 people signing,  the Government said:
“The Government's position remains that any proposals to change abortion legislation in Northern Ireland are matters best dealt with by the Assembly once it assumes the responsibility for the criminal law.”

The second FPA petition

In 2009 we launched a second petition to the Prime Minister demanding that women in Northern Ireland who’ve been refused an abortion are given funding to travel to Britain and have the abortion here.

Our postcard to the Prime Minister

In October 2008, thousands of you sent this postcard to the Prime Minister asking for equal rights to an abortion for the women of Northern Ireland. Thank you for your support.

Dear Prime Minister

I live in Northern Ireland. I am urging you to use the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to give women in Northern Ireland the same access to abortion as women in the rest of the UK.

Each year more than 1,000 women have to leave their homes and families and travel to England from Northern Ireland for an abortion. They have to pay up to £2,000 for an abortion, travel and accommodation, which many women cannot afford.

There must be equal rights across the UK. Please make this happen by extending the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.

Please vote to give women in Northern Ireland the same rights as women in the rest of the UK.

Our postcard to MPs

Thousands of you sent this postcard to your MP in October 2008 asking them to vote for equal rights to abortion for the women of Northern Ireland. Thank you for your support.

 
1968 – WOMEN IN BRITAIN CAN HAVE AN ABORTION.

2008 – WOMEN IN NORTHERN IRELAND? . . . STILL WAITING.

I am shocked that women in Northern Ireland do not have the same rights to abortion as women in the rest of the UK. Please support amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to change this.

Each year more than 1,000 women have to travel to England from Northern Ireland for an abortion. They have to pay up to £2,000 for an abortion, travel and accommodation, which many women cannot afford.

I do not understand why women in Northern Ireland do not have the same rights and the same freedom to choose abortion as other women in the UK. Please change this now by extending the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland.

Please vote to give women in Northern Ireland the same rights as women in the rest of the UK.