Pressure groups weigh in on reform
A major step towards overhauling Manx abortion laws concludes today.
The draft Abortion Reform Bill 2017 has been out to public consultation for six weeks.
Under the outlined proposals, terminations could be performed for any reason up to 14 weeks into a pregnancy, and carried out by health professionals on the Island.
Responses have been submitted by local lobby groups at both ends of the political spectrum.
Last year, 88 women traveled off-Island to undergo the procedure, prompting calls from pro-choice campaigners to relax the rules here.
Malcolm Newton of Life Isle of Man, and Stephanie Kelsey of CALM (Campaign for Abortion Law Modernisation), both appeared live on Mandate this morning to give their views:
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