A petition in the Scottish Parliament calls for a “health-focused and stigma-challenging educational resource on abortion” available to all secondary schools.

The petition from primary teacher Gemma Clark, which the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee has been considering, states that if abortion is either not discussed in schools or is only discussed as part of a religious education lesson, then this “could be a direct violation of the United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC)”.

In her petition, Ms Clark highlights Article 17 of the UNCRC, which says that “every child has the right to reliable information from a variety of sources”, as well as Article 3, which states that “the best interests of the child must be a top priority”.

Last week, The Herald reported that Ms Clark had been targeted by legal action from an anti-abortion organisation but remained determined to continue her campaigning on the issue.

In her background information for the petition, she writes: “I believe it is essential for all young people to receive medically accurate and health-focused education on abortion. I believe that challenging the stigma surrounding abortion is also essential for a well-rounded sexual health curriculum.”

The Scottish Parliament website states that the petition is “under consideration”.