A new billboard has gone up in Belfast calling for world leading services, pre and post birth for women and children. Both Lives Matter are behind the billboard which follows their recent report that an estimated 100,000 lives have been saved because the 1967 Abortion Act was not enacted in Northern Ireland.

Dawn McAvoy from Both Lives Matter comments,

“Our report estimating that 100,000 people alive in Northern Ireland today because the 1967 Abortion Act was not brought in has really connected with people. We’re very clear though that the law in itself is not enough. This new billboard highlights the second of our three campaign strands – advocating for world-leading services.”

LIFE NI, one of the collaborative organisations of Both Lives Matter, is a pregnancy care service provider working in NI for over 36 years. Regardless of the circumstances of the crisis pregnancy they provide care, support and practical help to women and families including counselling, housing, practical help and assistance.

 

Marion Woods, Chair of LIFE NI said,

“Our services are broad and yet specific to each individual client. Some women may be seeking counselling, others information on accessing financial aid, others again may be in need of practical help such as finding a pram or a cot. We are a pro-life organisation in every sense, this includes providing support during pregnancy as well as after the baby is born.”

 

Marion continues,

“We seek to provide as much support as a woman, her partner or family may want. All of our services are given freely and are led by the needs and wants of the woman involved. Our housing service has been a lifeline for many women and their children. It helps homeless pregnant women or a homeless woman with a young child with a place to stay and call home until she is able to find a place of her own. Even after leaving our housing service, our community support workers can continue to be of assistance to her and her child.”

 

Dawn McAvoy concludes,

“Our wee country is a great place to live and raise new generations. Our health service provides excellent maternal healthcare for women and unborn children and charities like LIFE NI and others provide amazing wrap-around services. We celebrate this, but many pregnancy crises situations are still the result of a lack of emotional, material and practical support. We all have a part to play in enabling a woman facing pregnancy crisis to choose life.”

 

“So ahead of the elections we are calling on all parties, whatever their views on abortion, to make a commitment to design, resource and implement the best care possible, for women and children, pre and post birth. We all deserve better than abortion.”