08/02/2022
Equality Commission statement
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland intervened in the Judicial Review proceedings brought by SPUC Pro Life Ltd in relation to the Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2021.
Its intervention was limited to the aspects of the Applicant’s case concerning Article 2 (1) of the Protocol. Article 2 (1) sets out the UK Government’s commitment to no diminution of certain equality and human rights in Northern Ireland as a result of Brexit.
The Commission welcomes the High Court decision published today, 8 February 2022, in that it rejected the Applicant’s challenge that the 2021 Regulations contravened Article 2 (1) of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol, EU Law and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. This ruling aligns with the views of the Commission as presented in its interventions.
The Commission will carefully consider the ruling and all findings relevant to the legal interpretation of Article 2 (1) of the Protocol.
The Commission, along with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, has been given additional responsibilities to ensure that the UK Government’s commitment is met. The Commissions are responsible for providing advice to government and monitoring, supervising, enforcing and reporting on the ongoing implementation of this commitment.
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