A tweet by the State-funded National Women’s Council which says abortion is “a normal part of reproductive journeys” has provoked a strong backlash online.

The post added: “This #March28, we join activists worldwide in launching the Global Day to Destigmatize Abortions”.

It features a cartoon representation of a woman saying the words “Abortions happen every day”.

“The glib slogan that ‘Abortions happen every day’ is true only in the same sense that crimes happen every day. As with the everyday occurrence of crimes, the everyday occurrence of abortions does nothing to make them morally defensible”.

Another user, John Carvill, said “This promotion by the NWCI is both perverse and sick. Its state funding should be removed”.

Another added: “Abortion is not reproduction.  It is the antithesis of reproduction.”