Northern Irish abortion law violates women's rights, say UN officials

Ban ‘constitutes violence that may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment’

The UK is violating the rights of women in Northern Ireland by restricting their access to abortion, exposing them to “horrific situations”, a UN committee has said.

The committee on the elimination of discrimination against women (Cedaw) said thousands of women and girls in Northern Ireland faced “systematic violations of rights through being compelled to either travel outside Northern Ireland to procure a legal abortion or to carry their pregnancy to term”.

Related: At last, an abortion referendum. Women’s protest has won over Irish politicians | Emer O’Toole

Continue reading... February 23, 2018 at 11:38PM