UN urges abortion law shake-up in North

Changes to the law banning abortion in the North should be considered, the UN said today.

The state should debate removing “punitive” provisions on women who undergo the procedure, the international body added.

Any move would be highly controversial and could face opposition across the political spectrum.

The Family Planning Association (FPA) has also called for a review.

The UN committee said: “In line with its previous recommendation, the committee reiterates its call to the state party to initiate a process of public consultation in Northern Ireland on the abortion law.

“The committee also urges the state party to give consideration to the amendment of the abortion law so as to remove punitive provisions imposed on women who undergo abortion.”

The recommendation came in a report issued by the UN Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

MPs in the UK have tabled an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill to give women in the North the same abortion rights as in Britain.

The 1967 Abortion Act was never enacted in the North.

The amendment was put on the last day of the parliamentary session and MPs will not debate it until the autumn at the earliest.

All Northern parties with MPs at Westminster oppose moves to extend abortion rights.

But there is no guarantee that the amendment, tabled by Labour MP Diane Abbott, will be called by the Speaker for debate.

All the main political parties in the North and the four main churches had written to MPs opposing any change in the law.