One of the most divisive issues that continues to challenge people worldwide to come to a solution is the controversy surrounding abortion. During these extraordinary times, it is even more critical that women should have access to the health services they need. So, criminalising abortion does not stop abortions, it only forces people to seek out unsafe abortions. Every year, worldwide, about 42 million women with unintended pregnancies choose abortion, and nearly half of these procedures, 20 million, are unsafe. 68,000 women die of unsafe abortion annually (13%). World Health Organization defines an unsafe abortion when it is carried out either by a person lacking the necessary skills and/or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards. Women, including adolescents, with unintended or unwanted pregnancies often resort to unsafe abortions when they cannot access safe abortion services. 

      Access to safe abortion services is a human right. Under international human rights law, everyone has a right to life, a right to health, and a right to be free from violence, discrimination, and torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Human rights law clearly spells out that decisions about your body are yours alone – this is what is known as bodily autonomy. Forcing someone to carry on an unwanted pregnancy, or forcing them to seek out an unsafe abortion, is a violation of their human rights, including the rights to privacy and bodily autonomy. In many circumstances, those who have no choice but to resort to unsafe abortions also risk prosecution and punishment, including imprisonment, and can face cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and discrimination in, and exclusion from, vital post-abortion health care.

Stop the stigma! Legalize abortion and give women back their right to choose.

• Picture attached: https://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2020/01/09/both-sides-of-abortion-debate-strengthen-their-support-bases-before-march-19-referendum/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
• https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2015/09/prosecuting-women-self-inducing-abortion-counterproductive-and-lacking-compassion
• https://www.who.int/health-topics/abortion#tab=tab_1
• https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preventing-unsafe-abortion
• https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/policy/AbortionPoliciesReproductiveHealth.pdf

Activity 7 in Empowerment Technologies
11- Provincia Hiberniae, Group 1 - Members: Abonado, Acosta,
Aldas. Amante