In response to the passing of a DUP motion on abortion that was debated in the Northern Ireland Assembly today, Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International’s Northern Ireland campaign manager, said:

“This motion has no impact on the abortion law or regulations in Northern Ireland.

“Although this sends a disappointing message that some MLAs are not willing to stand fully for human rights, women and girls should rest assured that the hard-won abortion reform remains intact.

“The focus now must be on commissioning local abortion services so that women aren’t left without this vital healthcare. It’s been seven months since decriminalisation and two months since regulations came into effect. Any further delay in giving effect to our new laws is now simply unacceptable. The Department of Health must urgently commission services to ensure these are accessible to all who need them.”