Highly restrictive abortion laws do not result in lower rates of abortion. For instance, in Western Europe, where abortion is generally permitted, the abortion rate is 12 per every women of fertile age. In Africa and Latin America where abortion is illegal in most circumstances in the majority of countries, the rate is 29 per women and 32 per , respectively.
Lack of equal access to safe and dignified health services for women experiencing undesired pregnancy is discriminatory because it only violates the rights of women. As the World Health Organization WHO has pointed out, in countries whose laws broadly allow abortion, there are fewer complications associated with unsafe abortions than in places where legal abortion is more restricted.
Nearly half of abortions worldwide are unsafe, performed by persons lacking the necessary information or skills or carried out in an environment not in conformity with minimal medical standards, or both WHO. Statistics indicate a correlation between the number of unsafe abortions and restrictive laws: deaths associated with abortion are much more frequent in countries with highly restrictive laws 34 deaths per , childbirths than in countries with less restrictive laws 1 death or less per , childbirths.
Therefore, the criminalization of abortion does not result in fewer abortions, but rather in more unsafe abortions. For example, in Uruguay the number of complications and deaths associated with abortion were reduced to zero after the Law on Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy passed in Unsafe abortion, on the other hand, is a severe public health problem involving serious risks to the health and life of thousands of women.
Nearly all safe abortions were performed in the Caribbean where they are allowed by law and are readily accessible, especially in Cuba. Many women who have the right to a legal, safe abortion, but cannot access one due to the stigma associated with the practice. Stereotypes regarding maternity and the social construct around abortion lead to discrimination against women who make decisions about their own reproductive capacity.
The illegal interventions of judicial officials, lawyers and health professionals impede access to legal abortion and push women to resort to clandestine abortions. Some of the obstacles they face include: bad faith from some professionals and public officials; ignorance of existing legislation; lack of legal information by health professionals who fear legal penalties; abuse of conscientious objection tolerated by the State; disparaging comments from healthcare personnel; and institutional violence against women in these situations.
Deaths associated with abortion in ranged from 22, to 44, Complications arising from abortion have decreased in recent years for different reasons: access to abortion with medication; training programs for health service providers and the development of health care systems in general.
However, the data on the impact of these changes is incomplete. Estimates from indicate that 6. For instance, unsafe abortions can cause maternal death, leaving existing children without a mother, or generate long-term health problems, such as infertility. Get updates on human rights issues from around the globe. Join our movement today. Help us continue to fight human rights abuses. Please give now to support our work.
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More Reading. November 20, Commentary. October 9, News Release. Read more. When abortion is a crime, women suffer—along with their families and communities. While criminal abortion laws intend to prevent abortion, the reality is they do not. Instead, these laws increase the number of women and girls who resort to unsafe abortion methods, risking death or injury as a result.
Moreover, where abortion is illegal, women and health providers can be prosecuted and sent to jail for seeking or providing abortions. Ipas President and CEO Anu Kumar says the global movement for abortion rights has made great progress since the International Conference on Population and Development—and we must keep fighting.
Making abortion legal. Strengthening local and global movements for abortion rights. Unpacking the Texas abortion ban: White supremacy in the anti-rights movement.
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