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The North is Now: National Women’s Council of Ireland hails historic day for women’s rights

Published: Monday, October 21, 2019

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) welcomed the historic moment from midnight tonight that reproductive rights and marriage equality will be realised across the whole island of Ireland.

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said,

“The decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland, from midnight tonight is a historic moment of change for women and girls. For the first time ever, women and families across the island of Ireland will have full access to reproductive healthcare. In Northern Ireland, the risk of prosecution will be no more, and doctors will be able to provide healthcare, free from the shadow of harmful laws.”

Orla O’Connor continued,

“Women in Northern Ireland have been failed for too long. When we wake up tomorrow, we will have said no to the shame and stigma that women have been forced to carry for too long. NWCI commend the work of Alliance for Choice, and all of those who campaigned for decades for abortion rights in Northern Ireland, for all their work in bringing about this momentous day. At the heart of their campaigning the whole time has been the voices and experiences of women, and we need to now ensure that the voices and experiences of women remain at the centre, once the service is rolled out. In particular, local access must be ensured across Northern Ireland.”

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