By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

Belfast, Northern Ireland – On Thursday, Northern Ireland’s first private abortion clinic opened its doors in Belfast, despite protest.  The Marie Stopes sexual- and reproductive-health clinic will offer abortions and other services within the strict laws of Northern Ireland, where abortion is illegal except when the life or long-term health of the mother is in danger.

Several hundred pro-life protestors lined the street in front of the clinic in pouring rain, to object to its opening.  In particular, Catholics and Protestants were well represented among the crowd, according to the Guardian.  The Catholic Demonstrators sang hymns and recited the Rosary while the Protestants waved posters.

Ciara Coyle, a protestor from Derry said that she believed abortion was wrong “no matter what the circumstances”.   She asserted that there was not a demand in Northern Ireland for abortion services and that “Northern Ireland is a pro-life country, like the whole of Ireland, and we will continue to make our stand against this baby-killing clinic.”

The pro-life protestors later cheered when Bernadette Smyth, spokeswoman for the pressure group Precious Life, predicted their campaign would “run Marie Stopes out of Ireland”.

Most pro-choice activists in Belfast elected to avoid the potential confrontation of a counter-protest.  However, one lone pro-choice campaigner demonstrated, despite attempts to shout her down.

Danni Stanfield, 21, a local student, held up a homemade sign, stating “Been in the situation? Only then does your opinion count.”

She explained, “Many of the people here today who are pro-life, if they were in that situation themselves they might take a different point of view. . . . I am not saying to women who get pregnant unplanned should have an abortion but rather that they be allowed that choice.”

Although Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, its abortion laws are much stricter than those in the rest of the U.K.  In the U.K., a woman may receive an abortion within the first 24 weeks of a pregnancy, provided that continuing the pregnancy carries a greater risk than termination to the physical or mental health of the woman, and that she has the permission of two (one in an emergency) doctors.  Exceptions can be made for extenuating circumstances past the 24 week limit.

However, in Northern Ireland, a woman only has the first 9 weeks of a pregnancy to receive an abortion.  Such abortions may only be performed medically (i.e. chemically, not surgically).

Currently, about 40 abortions are performed in Northern Ireland each year for medical reasons, and about 1000 Irish women travel to Britain or Europe to receive abortions.

By contrast in the Republic of Ireland, abortion is illegal.  An unborn child is considered an Irish citizen with full rights under the Irish constitution.  There is concern in the Republic that if abortion availability increases in Northern Ireland, women will be more likely to cross the border and receive abortions.

The Marie Stopes clinic has already begun to see backlash to its presence.  Northern Ireland Attorney General John Larkin has invited the Stormont Justice Committee to investigate the operations of the Belfast clinic.

Representatives of the clinic have stated they will only provide abortions within the bounds of the law.

Activists are hopeful that the new clinic is a sign Ireland is moving forward, even as some, such as commentator Chris Ryder, suggest that Irish society is unfortunately “groping its way towards the modern era.”

For further information, please see:

Irish Times – Northern Ireland: ‘Groping its way Towards the Modern Era’ – 20 October 2012

BBC News – Marie Stopes: Call for Investigation into Belfast Abortion Clinic– 18 October 2012

BBC News – Protesters at Marie Stopes Private Abortion Clinic in Belfast – 18 October 2012

GlobalPost – Ireland’s First Abortion Clinic Opens, Draws Protesters – 18 October 2012

The Guardian – Anti-abortion Activists Protest at Belfast Clinic Opening – 18 October 2012

The Guardian – Anti-abortion Activists Protest at Opening of Belfast Marie Stopes Clinic –18 October 2012