Motion no: 42
Conference recognises the huge progress in the Republic since the referendum on abortion in May 2018 and welcomes the solidarity shown North and South during the campaign. Conference notes that services and provision of abortion up to 12 weeks have been rolled out since January 2019, is evidence that the Government took the referendum result seriously.
Conference also notes that in England, Scotland and Wales, regulations have been altered so that the prescribed second set of Early Medical Abortion pills can be taken at home, a provision which will positively impact the majority of those in need of a termination, the majority of which occur in the first trimester.
Conference further notes that despite this clear trajectory of progress for reproductive rights, Northern Ireland has been left behind completely. The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have reiterated once again that devolution should never be a barrier to Human Rights.
Conference calls upon ICTU to fully support the Alliance for Choice campaign calling upon the UK Government to repeal sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Persons Act, to ensure that abortion is free, safe, legal and local for women in Northern Ireland.
Conference further calls on ICTU to lobby Dáil Éireann to remove the barriers to the most marginalised, which include:
• The 3 day wait or ‘cooling off period.’
• The lack of clarity around foetal abnormalities that means there are still abortion seekers travelling to England and beyond.
• The high and prohibitive costs of provision to those in the 6 counties of NI.
Proposer: Belfast and District Trades Council
Vote Result: Adopted
