Life
Abortion
In any pregnancy, both the woman and preborn baby have inherent value and dignity, by virtue of being made in the image of God. CARE is passionately pro-woman and pro-life: we advocate for both lives in a pregnancy to be protected and for a society where women are genuinely supported.
Following the intervention of the Westminster Government in 2019, Northern Ireland has some of the most permissive abortion laws in Europe. In reality this means that abortion is available up to 12 weeks for any reason; up to 24 weeks on mental health groups; and up to birth in the case of severe fetal impairment with evidence showing that this includes conditions such as Downs Syndrome, Cleft Palette and Club Foot.
CARE NI has been actively involved with pushing back on the current abortion regime in Northern Ireland, most recently we supported Paul Givan and Christopher Stalford as they brought the Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Regulation. This was a modest, pro-life Bill which passed several stages in the Assembly before being rejected. Towards the end of the Mandate, MLAs approved a new law to introduce Buffer Zones around abortion clinics – the first part of the UK to introduce such measures on a national level. What this tells us the direction of travel in Northern Ireland when it comes to abortion has been deeply tragic. A country that once had life-affirming laws now has some of the most extreme abortion laws in Europe.
This is why we need elected officials who are prepared to take a stand and continue to push back on the abortion laws in Northern Ireland.
We believe there is a better way than abortion – a way that truly supports women in unplanned pregnancies, defends those who are vulnerable and have no voice, and is life-giving to preborn babies. For the last 40 years, we have strived to tell that story and uphold the value of life in our society.
Together we can work for a culture where both women and babies flourish – where all life is valued from conception and women are protected from the harm of abortion.
Assisted Suicide
All life has intrinsic value and dignity – regardless of its condition. We recognise how immensely difficult it is to suffer or to see a loved one enduring pain, but, as Christians, we are called to protect those who are vulnerable and assist people to live – not to commit suicide. CARE therefore strongly opposes a change to the law on assisted suicide in the UK, and we work to support truly compassionate approaches to care at the end of life being articulated in our parliaments and assemblies.
We want to see a society that truly upholds the dignity of every life and where laws protect those who are vulnerable – particularly those who would feel pressure to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others.
Together we can fight against attempts to change the law on assisted suicide, ensuring that vulnerable people are protected. We can advocate for excellent palliative care, so that those at the end of their lives have healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing suffering.