We need your help!

From the 22nd October 2019, Abortion should be decriminalised in Northern Ireland, but not if the anti-choice lobby and a number of MLAs have their way. We are asking every single person who is opposed to moves by the NI Assembly to prevent abortion in Northern Ireland becoming decriminalised and every single person who is opposed to the continuation of the grave and systematic abuse of the human rights of women, girls and pregnant people, to contact their MLA urgently.

WRITE TO YOUR MLAs

We have attached a template letter you can use or alternatively, pen your own.

Dear MLA

I am contacting you as a very concerned constituent in response to the Speaker’s notification that a sitting of the Assembly will be held on Monday 21st October 2019.

I am asking you to vote against the appointment of a speaker that would enable such a motion and would ask you to commit to taking this action if you attend the sitting on Monday.

It is clearer that this action, after over 1000 days of no functioning government, has one sole agenda; to obstruct the fulfilment of the human rights of women, girls and anyone who can get pregnant. I take the view that those who have called for this sitting of the Assembly know that an Executive cannot be formed under these circumstances. This recall is nothing more than a political stunt and it is disgraceful that our bodies would be used as political pawns in such a manner.

When United Nations CEDAW published the report of their inquiry into abortion in Northern Ireland in 2018 they confirmed beyond any doubt that international law requires the UK government to take legislative action to address human rights violations in a devolved region. The amendment to the Northern Ireland Executive Functions Act is in direct response to this international human rights duty and it is the correct way for the UK government to discharge this duty towards women, girls and pregnant people.

As an MLA you may be desperate to represent the people of Northern Ireland, but it cannot be done at the expense of human rights. As an MLA it is imperative upon you to deal in realities; a minimum of 62000 women and pregnant people have travelled to England since 1968. 1000s more are forced to use safe but illegal pills. That is something that cannot be tolerated in a society that deems itself humane or compassionate.

I am asking you as my MLA to carefully consider how you engage with the recalled Assembly on the 21st October. This is NOT a genuine attempt to restart our devolved government. I am asking you to refuse to be complicit in any act that would allow a grave and systematic violation of human rights to prevail.

I am asking you if it is necessary to vote against any motion that prevents abortion being decriminalised in Northern Ireland and seeks to undermine the rights of women, girls and pregnant people who wish to access abortion services in Northern Ireland. Vote against the appointment of a speaker if you are attending.

I look forward to your response.

Further bulletpoints:

- Please reject the recalling of the Assembly on Monday as a political stunt.
- Please refuse to be complicit in the further violation of human rights.
- Please support the work of the many people who have spent decades desperately fighting for a change to our abortion laws.
- Please make a commitment that if they attend the Assembly session on Monday they will vote against the appointment of a speaker.
- If necessary, vote against the motion as it is the responsibility of the UK government to ensure Northern Ireland’s abortion laws are no longer in violation of human rights.