Abortion Robots will deliver abortion pills in Belfast, Northern Ireland

The action is a collaboration between Women on Waves, Women on Web and ROSA Northern Ireland to call attention to the restrictive abortion laws and the prosecution of women in Northern Ireland. 

With the robot the abortion pills can be supplied to women in Northern Ireland without breaking the law because the robot is operated from the Netherlands.

Although the women in Northern Ireland would break the law if they were pregnant while taking the abortion pills, this is a matter of patient confidentiality and forcing women to undergo a pregnancy test would be a severe violation of their human rights. Furthermore recent guidelines by the Department of Health, social services and public safety adviced against asking about the use of medical abortions and denouncing women and in April 2018 the Belfast city council passed the abortion pills motion against prosecutions.

A few days ago Ireland has voted to legalise abortion. Northern Ireland cannot continue to violate women's rights. 

The abortion robot will mark the different legal reality for Northern Irish women, who still have to rely on to rely on new technology, like telemedicine, drones and robots that use international legal loopholes to protect their rights.

Time and Location

The abortion robot event will take place in 2 locations at the same time: in Amsterdam and in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 

The robot will deliver the abortion pills outside Belfast Laganside Courts (45 Donegall Quay) at 12 pm UK time and 1 pm Dutch time.

The robot operators and a doctor who will counsel the women in Belfast remotely though the robots are based in Mediamatic, Dijkspark 6, Amsterdam. Live images of the robot will be projected. 

The event will be live-streamed from both locations on the Women on Web facebook page  and Women on Waves facebook page

After the remote delivery of the abortion pills, the abortion bus will drive around Northern Ireland to offer abortion counselling and ultrasounds. The abortion bus will travel through Northern Ireland and finish in Derry. On arrival in Derry the bus will park near Guildhall Square.

For further information please contact:

Rosa spokesperson: Eleanor Crossey Malone 07523289324

Women on Waves spokesperson: Rebecca Gomperts +31652052561 or email info@womenonwaves.org

ROSA on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ROSAwomen2014/

More background information can be read here