In July 2014, Mr Jim Wells MLA of the Northern Ireland Assembly put forward a proposed amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill.

This proposed amendment, Mr Wells suggest, is to ensure that private clinics, such as the Marie Stopes Centre which opened its doors in Belfast in October 2012, cannot legally carry out abortions in Northern Ireland. The actual reality of this proposed amendment, as stated by Mr Wells in his own words, is to in fact oppose the Marie Stopes Centre in Belfast remaining open and not for the purpose alluded to in his petition; an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill relating to legalisation of abortions in Northern Ireland. (http://www.citizengo.org/en/10517-i-support-mr-jim-wells-mlas-proposed-amendment-criminal-justice-bill)

Marie Stopes Centres provide teams of highly skilled doctors, nurses, counsellors and health care assistants provide reproductive and sexual health services through the NHS for over 100,000 women and men every year in our network of clinics around the UK. Mr Wells is proposing that a centre providing critical family planning services, some of which are life saving, should be removed from Northern Ireland (http://mariestopes.org.uk/aboutmariestopesuk)

What is clear is that Mr Wells sole intention is to prohibit legal abortion in Northern Ireland by any means necessary, which includes the removal of critical health and well being services other than those related directly to abortion.

Furthermore, Mr Wells sits on an All Party Pro-Life Group in the Northern Ireland Assembly. This group is composed entirely of males and is linked to the Precious Life organisation (http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Your-MLAs/All-Party-Groups/All-Party-Pro-Life-Group/).

While such a group giving a pro-life perspective is important given that this is such an emotive subject, it is disappointing no women are actually a part of this group given that women are most affected by provision of abortion services, or lack thereof. Indeed, the lack of female representation within this group has drawn much interest in Northern Ireland of late (http://offtherecordni.com/the-all-party-pro-life-group-is-redundant-but-not-surprising/).

In short, Mr Wells proposal is reckless and the stated purpose of his petition totally misleading. Abortion is at times an unfortunate choice a woman may need to make to preserve her own life and own well being, both mentally and physically. There is no escaping this unfortunate fact.

With that said, it should be made clear that this is not a petition to promote or encourage abortion as a choice, but instead allow women the right to make that choice.

This petition is to oppose the intent by Mr Wells to shut down the Marie Stopes Centre and his intention to remove essential reproductive and sexual health services from the province. These services in many cases save lives and in many more prevent unwanted pregnancies. It is clear that Mr Wells has no concept or idea as what services Marie Stopes Centre offers and therefore has no basis or right to demand the removal of these services from Northern Ireland.

This is to also demand that the all male membership of the All Party Pro-Life Group explore pro-life alternatives other than those that deny women in Northern Ireland the same rights as women across the United Kingdom. We would also ask the Northern Ireland Assembly to look at the make up, and indeed motive, of this group, a group where none of its members are directly affected by the denial of legally provided abortion services.

Thank you for your time. Please sign and share this petition so we ensure that women in Northern Ireland are treated equally with the rest of the United Kingdom and that we retain critical and essential health services in the province.