Amnesty Ireland calls for abortion pills to be made available to women in Northern Ireland

In England, women are able to have a medical abortion at home using termination pills during the coronavirus lockdown. File picture.

Amnesty International is calling for abortion pills to be immediately available to women in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland's Department of Health has confirmed pregnancy-terminations can now be carried out in hospitals in the region however home abortions are not permitted.

In England, women are able to have a medical abortion at home using termination pills during the coronavirus lockdown.

Grainne Teggart, from Amnesty International, says Northern Ireland's politicians are letting down vulnerable women.

She said: "We urgently need to see is provision made for both abortion pills to be taken at home.

"The Northern Ireland Executive and the Department of Health specifically have so far failed women and girls facing crisis pregnancy during the currrent pandemic by not giving them the option to safely self-manage abortions at home.

"Our call on this is also to the UK Government today can they at any point refresh the abortion regulations to provide for two pills at home."