Northern Ireland’s human rights commission (NIHRC) has launched a landmark legal action against the UK government for its failure to commission safe and accessible abortion services more than a year after abortion was made legal in the country, the Guardian can reveal. The NIHRC is also taking action against the Northern Ireland Executive and the country’s Department of Health. Another, the Northern trust, ceased all services in October because of a lack of resources but resumed on 4 January. Les Allamby, the head of the NIHRC, said the body was taking legal action after the secretary of state, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Department of Health refused to take responsibility for creating services. The government would continue to engage with Northern Ireland’s DoH in commissioning “full abortion services, consistent with the regulations we made, as soon as possible”, they added.

Source: The Guardian January 10, 2021 11:17 UTC