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Abortion law

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Abortion law is legislation which pertains to the provision of abortion. Abortion has been a controversial subject throughout history due to the moral and ethical issues that surround it. It has been regularly banned and otherwise limited, though abortions have continued to be commonplace in many areas where it is illegal. Almost 2/3 of the world’s women currently reside in countries where abortion may be obtained on request, for a broad range of social, economic or personal reasons. Abortion laws vary widely by country, ranging from Chile, El Salvador, Malta, and Vatican City, which ban the procedure entirely, to Canada, which places no restrictions on the provision of abortion whatsoever. Both supporters and opponents of legal abortion believe their position addresses a fundamental human right.

Contents

History

Abortion and contraception have been widely available throughout the history of Western Civilization, despite ethical concerns. Plato and Aristotle both argued in favor of compulsory abortion under certain circumstances, though Hippocrates expressly disapproved of the practice. Under Roman law, life was said to begin at birth. Abortions were thus legal, though regulated to protect the rights of the biological father. References to abortion were included in the writings of Ovid, Seneca, Juvenal and Pliny, who included a list of abortifacients (drugs that induce an abortion) in one text. Early Christian philosophers, including St. Augustine, Ivo of Chartres and Gratian, disapproved of abortion when it broke the link between the sexual act and procreation, but argued that abortion of what Ivo termed an 'unformed embryo' did not constitute homicide.

Religious authorities have taken various positions on abortion throughout history (see Religion and abortion). In 1588, Pope Sixtus V adopted a papal bull adopting the position of St. Thomas Aquinas that contraception and abortion were crimes against nature and sins against marriage. This verdict was relaxed three years later by Pope Gregory XIV, who pronounced that abortion before 'hominization' should not be subject to church penalties that were any stricter than civil penalties. Common law positions on abortion in individual countries varied significantly from country to country. English common law considered abortions before 'quickening' - when the movements of the fetus could first be felt by the woman - to be morally and legally acceptable.

Many Western countries began to make abortion illegal in the 19th century. Anti-abortion forces were led by a combination of conservative groups opposed to abortion on moral grounds and medical professionals who were concerned about the danger presented by the procedure and the regular involvement of non-medical personnel in performing abortions.

It became clear in the following years, however, that illegal abortions continued to take place in large numbers even where abortions were expressly illegal. It was difficult to obtain sufficient evidence to prosecute the women and doctors, and judges and juries were often reluctant to convict. For instance: Dr. Henry Morgentaler was never convicted by a jury. Many were also outraged at the invasion of privacy and the medical problems resulting from abortions taking place illegally in medically dangerous circumstances. Political movements soon coalesced around the legalization of abortion and liberalization of existing laws.

By the early 20th century, many countries had begun to legalize abortions when performed to protect the life of the woman, and in some cases to protect the health of the woman. Under Vladimir Lenin, the Soviet Union legalized all abortions in 1920, but this was fully reversed in 1936 by Joseph Stalin in order to increase population growth. Iceland was the first Western country to legalize therapeutic abortion under limited circumstances, doing so in 1935, and the earliest country to do so without recriminalizing it later. Only a handful of countries – mostly in Scandinavia decriminalized abortion before Britain in 1967. Others soon followed, including Canada (1969), the United States (1973 in most states, pursuant to the federal Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion nationwide), France (1975), New Zealand (1977), Italy (1978) and the Netherlands (1980). However, these countries vary greatly in the circumstances under which abortion is permitted. In 1975, the German Supreme Court struck down a law legalizing abortion, holding that they contradict the constitution's human rights guarantees. After Germany's reunification, a compromise was reached which deemed most abortions illegal but does not penalize it under certain circumstances.

International law

In addition to national and regional laws, there are multi-national and international treaties, conventions, and laws that may actually be enforced on or within signatory nations. However, there is an inherent difficulty in the enforcement of international law due to the issue that state sovereignty poses. As such, the effectiveness of even binding multi-national efforts to legislate the rights to life and liberty in general, or abortion in specific, is difficult to measure. Examples of such efforts that have or might have bearing for abortion law, nationally or internationally, include:

National laws

The following series of tables present the current abortion legislation of the world's nations as divided by continent. Actual access to abortion may vary significantly on the basis of geography, income, cost, health care, social factors, and other issues. Many jurisdictions also place other restrictions on abortion access, including waiting periods, the provision of information, the assent of multiple doctors, and spousal or parental notification.

Legend

Africa

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Algeria Yes # # No No No No
Angola * No No No No No No
Benin Yes No No No No No No
Botswana Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Burkina Faso Yes Yes Yes * Yes No No
Burundi Yes Yes ? No No No No
Cameroon Yes Yes ? Yes No No No
Cape Verde Yes Yes Yes * Yes * *
Central African Republic Yes No No No No No No
Chad Yes No No No No No No
Comoros Yes Yes ? No No No No
Congo (Brazzaville) Yes No No No No No No
Congo (Kinshasa) Yes No No No No No No
Djibouti Yes ? ? No No No No
Egypt Restricted No No No No No No
Equatorial Guinea Yes Yes ? No No No No
Eritrea Yes Yes ? No No No No
Ethiopia Yes Yes ? No No No No
Gabon Yes No No No No No No
Gambia Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Ghana Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Guinea-Bissau Yes * * * * * *
Kenya Restricted Restricted Restricted No No No No
Lesotho Yes No No No No No No
Liberia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Libya Yes No No No No No No
Madagascar Yes No No No No No No
Malawi Restricted No No No No No No
Mali Yes No No No No No No
Mauritania Yes No No No No No No
Mauritius Yes No No No No No No
Morocco * * * No No No No
Mozambique Yes Yes Yes No No No * (illegal, but selectively allowed) [link]
Namibia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Niger Yes No No No No No No
Nigeria Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Rwanda Yes Yes Yes No No No No
São Tomé and Príncipe * No No No No No No
Senegal Yes No No No No No No
Seychelles * * * * * No No
Sierra Leone Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Somalia Yes No No No No No No
South Africa # # # # # # *
Sudan Yes No No Yes No No No
Swaziland Yes No No No No No No
Tanzania Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Togo * ? ? ? ? No No
Tunisia * * * * * * *
Uganda Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Zambia Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Zimbabwe Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No

Asia

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Afghanistan Yes No No No No No No
Bangladesh Yes * * * * * *
Bhutan ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Cambodia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
China Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hong Kong Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
India Yes Yes # # # # No
Indonesia Yes No No No No No No
Japan # # # # # # No
Kazakhstan # # # # # # *
Kyrgyzstan # # # # # # *
Laos Yes No No No No No No
Malaysia * * * No No No No
Mongolia Restricted Restricted * * * * *
Myanmar Yes No No No No No No
Nepal Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * *
North Korea Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Pakistan Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Philippines Yes No No No No No No
Singapore Yes Yes Yes # # # #
South Korea Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted
Sri Lanka Yes No No No No No No
Tajikistan # # # # # # *
Thailand Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No
Turkmenistan # # # # # # *
Uzbekistan # # # # # # *
Vietnam Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Caribbean

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Antigua * No No No No No No
Bahamas Yes Yes Yes ? ? No No
Barbados Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Cuba Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Dominican Republic Yes No No No No No No
Grenada Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Haiti Yes ? No ? ? No No
Jamaica Restricted Restricted Restricted No No No No
Puerto Rico Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Saint Kitts Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Saint Lucia Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Trinidad and Tobago Yes Yes Yes No No No No

Europe

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Albania Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Andorra Yes No No No No No No
Armenia # # # # # # *
Austria Yes Yes Yes * Yes * * (illegal, but not punished)
Azerbaijan Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes *
Belgium Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Belarus Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Bulgaria Yes # * * Yes * *
Croatia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cyprus Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ? No
Czech Republic # # * * # * *
Denmark Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Estonia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Finland Yes Yes Yes # # # No
France Yes Yes Yes * Yes * *
Georgia # # # # # # *
Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Germany Yes Yes * Yes Yes * * (illegal, but not punished)
Greece Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hungary Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Iceland Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Ireland Yes No No No No No No
Italy Yes Yes Yes * Yes * *
Latvia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Liechtenstein Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Lithuania Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Luxembourg Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted Restricted No
Macedonia (F.Y.R.) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Malta No No No No No No No
Moldova Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes *
Monaco Yes No No No No No No
Netherlands Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Norway Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Poland Yes Yes No * # No No
Portugal * * * * * No No
Romania Yes Yes * * * * *
Russia # # # # # # *
Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
San Marino Yes No No No No No No
Serbia and Montenegro Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Slovakia # # * # # * *
Slovenia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Spain Yes Yes Yes * # No No
Sweden Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Switzerland Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes * *
Turkey Restricted Restricted Restricted * Restricted * *
Ukraine # # # # # # *
United Kingdom Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Vatican City No No No No No No No

Middle East

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Bahrain Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Iran Yes No No No No No No
Iraq Restricted No No No Restricted No No
Israel Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
Jordan Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Kuwait Restricted Restricted Restricted No Restricted No No
Lebanon Yes No No No No No No
Oman Yes No No No No No No
Qatar Yes Yes Yes No Restricted No No
Saudi Arabia * Restricted Restricted No No No No
Syria Restricted No No No No No No
United Arab Emirates Restricted No No No No No No
Yemen Yes No No No No No No

North & Central America

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Belize Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No
Canada Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Costa Rica Yes Yes ? No No No No
El Salvador No No No No No No No
Guatemala Yes No No No No No No
Honduras Restricted No No No No No No
Mexico * No No * No No No
Nicaragua Yes ? No No No No No
Panama Yes Yes No * Yes No No
United States Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Varies

Australasia and Oceania

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Australia Yes Varies Varies Varies Varies Varies Varies
Brunei Yes No No No No No No
Cook Islands Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Fiji Yes Yes Yes ? ? Yes No
Kiribati Yes No No No No No No
Maldives Restricted Restricted No No No No No
Marshall Islands Restricted No No No No No No
Micronesia Yes No No No No No No
Nauru Restricted Restricted Restricted No No No No
New Zealand Yes Yes Yes # # No No
Niue Yes ? ? No No No No
Palau Yes No No No No No No
Papua New Guinea * * * No No No No
Samoa Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Solomon Islands Restricted No No No No No No
Tonga Yes No No No No No No
Tuvalu Yes No No No No No No
Vanuatu No Yes Yes No No No No

South America

Country To Protect Woman's Life Physical Health Mental Health Rape Fetal Defects Socio-economic factors On Demand
Argentina Yes Yes No Restricted No No No
Bolivia Yes Yes ? Yes No No No
Brazil Yes No No Yes No No No
Chile No No No No No No No
Colombia Yes Restricted ? Yes Restricted No No
Dominica Yes No No No No No No
Ecuador Yes Yes ? Restricted No No No
Guyana Yes * * * * * *
Paraguay Yes No No No No No No
Peru Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Suriname Yes No No No No No No
Uruguay Yes Yes * * No * No
Venezuela Yes No No No No No No

Case law

Australia Canada Germany Ireland United States

See also

References

  1. [Abortion Laws of the World]. Annual Review of Population Law. Retrieved July 14, 2006.
  2. United Nations Population Division. (2002). [Abortion Policies: A Global Review]. Retrieved July 14, 2006.
  3. Rahman, Anika, Katzive, Laura, & Henshaw, Stanley K. (1998). [A Global Review of Laws on Induced Abortion, 1985-1997]. International Family Planning Perspectives, 24 (2). Retrieved July 14, 2006.

External links

 Lists of countries with rankings *Includes map
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From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
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