International Laws: The Six Nations Where it Is Still Illegal to Have an Abortion Rose Troup Buchanan - The Independent
go to original May 6, 2015

Political, health and human rights leaders from more than 20 countries gathered for a two-day meeting, World Leaders Consultation on Safe Legal Abortion, at Airlie Center, Virginia, March 24-25, 2014, set against the backdrop of the 20-year review by the United Nations of the Program of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo and global debates about the post-2015 development agenda. In this video, many of them share their thoughts on safe legal abortion and the need to make it accessible to women and girls everywhere. Learn more: SafeAbortionPost2015.org (Ipas)

A 10-year-old child raped by her stepfather has been denied an abortion in Paraguay – but which are the worst nations for abortion laws?

Data, collected by the United Nations and compiled in 2011, breaks countries down into five categories, of which we have taken data from the worst three bands.

Six nations – the Holy See, Malta, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Chile – do not allow abortion under any circumstances.

A further 13 countries have such tight controls upon abortion that for many it is an impossibility. Among these are nations such as Malawi, Iran and Haiti, which although have general principles set in law that appear to support the right to an abortion should the women’s life be in danger, have no legislation.

Finally, the following 25 nations (of which Paraguay is one) have explicit laws allowing abortions in cases when the mother’s life is in danger.

As the case in Paraguay has proved, even in nations ostensibly more progressive the reality is that social factors often exert greater control.

Naomi McAuliffe, Amnesty International My Body My Right campaign manager, said although the broad trend one towards liberalism of abortion laws, there were pockets of concern.

“What we have found is that in central America, when there is a regressive movement on abortion law in one country, there tends to be a domino effect on that country’s neighbours,” she told The Independent.

Read the rest at The Independent

Image: publichealthwatch.wordpress.com

Related: Draconian Ban on Abortion in El Salvador Targeted by Global Campaign (Inter Press Service)

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