A pro-life group that seeks to create “a culture which values every woman and unborn child” has been rewarded for its work.
Both Lives Matter won ‘Best Campaign in Northern Ireland’ at the Public Affairs Awards 2017. The award was given for the group’s ‘100,000 lives’ campaign highlighting the number of lives saved by Northern Ireland’s pro-life laws.
Speaking for the group, Dawn McAvoy said: “We are stunned and delighted to have won best campaign in our first year.”
Celebration
Both Lives Matter celebrated the award on Twitter:
Thanks to @ThePAAwards And Best Campaign in Northern Ireland went to Both Lives Matter! #100thousand https://t.co/Y1ImPqN4aC https://t.co/Be4nMTBqMk
— Both Lives Matter (@BothLivesMatter) December 15, 2017
Britain’s biggest abortion group – the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) – boycotted the awards ceremony in protest.
The abortion giant also accused the organisers, the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), of endorsing “the denial of healthcare and human rights”.
BPAS complaint dismissed
Unbowed, the PCRA defended its decision to recognise the work of the pro-life group, dismissing the BPAS claim as “incorrect”.
Both Lives Matter said it was “disappointed” with the reaction from BPAS which “essentially put pressure on the organisers to have us excluded from the awards”.
Currently, the Abortion Act 1967 does not apply in Northern Ireland, where abortion remains illegal except to preserve the life of the mother.
Moves to liberalise the Province’s abortion law were rejected by the NI Assembly as recently as February 2016.