South Africa: Parliamentarian tries to curb abortion

GroundUp: Parliamentarian tries to curb abortion

Terminating a pregnancy after 12 weeks will be much harder if a private member's bill passes.

Aug 1, 2017
By Safura Abdool Karim for GROUNDUP.

A Member of Parliament is trying to limit the right to abortion. Cheryllyn Dudley (ACDP) introduced a private member’s bill that proposes a severe departure from existing law.

Under current legislation, any woman may have an abortion up to 12 weeks into the pregnancy. From week 13 to 20, a woman may have an abortion if the pregnancy poses a risk to her or it would “significantly affect” her “social or economic circumstances”. This last reason makes South African abortion law different to many other countries. It makes abortions accessible to almost all women up to their 20th week.

Continued at source: Daily Maverick: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-08-01-groundup-parliamentarian-tries-to-curb-abortion/