The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) have issued Guidelines on performing abortions in Northern Ireland. These Guidelines were approved by the Stormont Executive - made up of members from the four main political parties.

The Guidelines effectively legalise abortion ‘through the back door’ by misinterpreting the law relating to abortion in Northern Ireland. They are basically a re-hash of the draft guidelines that the Assembly rejected in 2007. The Department of Health claim their Guidelines will not change the law. But don’t be fooled: a change in the law is not necessary for there to be a change in the interpretation of the law regarding abortion in Northern Ireland.

MAIN DANGERS
The Department of Health’s Abortion Guidelines:

• state that "each Health & Social Care Trust must ensure its patients have access to termination of pregnancy services" (this means that all hospitals in Northern will be forced to make abortion available. It could even mean the Department facilitating the opening of abortion clinics across Northern Ireland ...or abortions carried out in your own GP’s surgery. And your taxes will be paying for these abortions);
  
• permit the abortion of vulnerable disabled babies;
  
• do not allow any real ‘conscientious objection’ (this means pro-life medical staff will be forced to participate in killing unborn children);
  
• are even more liberal than the 1967 Abortion Act (which has led to the brutal deaths of 7 million unborn babies in Britain).

The Guidelines are legally and medically flawed - beyond the level that would allow for correction. They must be withdrawn and re-drafted in full, with input from pro-life medical and legal experts. New Guidelines must acknowledge and reaffirm the unborn child’s right to life and their protection in law.

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Download Precious Life's Briefing Paper
for a more detailed analysis
of the dangers in the Abortion Guidelines.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO
• sign the online petition opposing the Abortion Guidelines here

• organise the collection of petition signatures in your community,
e.g. outside your local church (petition sheets available free from Precious Life or download here)

• distribute copies of our Campaign Leaflets in your area (available free from Precious Life - Contact us)

• contact your Assembly Members and ask them to lobby the Department of Health to withdraw and re-draft the Guidelines Click here...