Abortion will remain illegal in Northern Ireland after members of the Northern Irish Assembly voted against a proposal that would legalize abortion in cases of fatal fetal abnormality and sex crimes.
The region's Stormont assembly voted against the proposal 59-40, which was originally proposed by two Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the Alliance Party, Stewart Dickson and Trevor Lunn.
The 1967 Abortion Act permits abortion in the rest of the UK, unlike in Northern Ireland where termination of the pregnancy is allowed only in cases in which the mother's life or mental health is endangered.
"Fatal fetal abnormality" is a diagnosis in which doctors believe the unborn child will either die in the womb or shortly after birth.
CARE, a Christian charity, campaigned against the possible legalization of abortion in Northern Ireland. CARE chief executive Nola Leach told the Gospel Herald they wanted "to make sure our unborn children will have a voice who will speak for them."
