What a landmark ruling on abortion will mean for women in India

Oct 25, 2022
Dhwani Nagpal

A landmark ruling on abortion by India’s Supreme Court could pave the way for economic equality and reduce health inequity for women.

On September 29, 2022, the Indian Supreme Court released a judgment stating that all women, regardless of their marital status, have the right to safe and legal access to abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Previously, single women were limited to 20 weeks.

Continued: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/10/what-a-landmark-ruling-on-abortion-will-mean-for-women-in-india/


Why India’s landmark abortion ruling could echo around the world

Amid a rollback of rights in the US, India’s Supreme Court has given women a long overdue voice in shaping abortion law.

Shreya Shree, Gauri Pillai
Published On 18 Oct 2022

On September 29, the Indian Supreme Court delivered a crucial decision which holds the promise of actually leading to the reproductive autonomy of Indian women, in particular through access to abortion.

While the core issue before the court was whether unmarried women could seek an abortion under the law – the judges confirmed that they can – the decision also spoke to a range of deeper concerns about abortion and women’s rights over their bodies. It could potentially even pave the way for the criminalisation of marital rape, which, at the moment, is not punishable in India.

Continued: https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/10/18/why-indias-landmark-abortion-ruling-could-echo-around-the-world


India – An Important First Step On The Road to Reproductive Justice, But Safe Abortion Remains Out Of Reach

The Supreme Court’s 29 September 2022 decision on abortion has provided legal armour for many pending cases on reproductive justice related to, among others, surrogacy, assisted reproduction and marital rape. But its impact on access to safe abortion will be limited.
APARNA CHANDRA
01 Oct 2022

Bengaluru: X* is a 25-year-old woman from Manipur, the eldest of five siblings and the daughter of farmers. She was living in Delhi with her unmarried partner. In June, 2022, X found out that she was pregnant and was set to marry her partner.

At the last minute, her partner refused to marry her.

Continued: https://article-14.com/post/an-important-first-step-on-the-road-to-reproductive-justice-but-safe-abortion-remains-out-of-reach-63383eddf1325


India abortion: Why Supreme Court ruling is a huge step forward

By Geeta Pandey, BBC News, Delhi
Sept 30, 2022

Just weeks after the US Supreme Court passed a controversial order to ban or severely restrict the ability for pregnant women to get abortions, a similar case made headlines in India.

While the Roe v Wade ruling was described as "a huge step back for women's rights", Thursday's order by the Indian Supreme Court - in contrast - is being hailed as "historic" and "a big step forward" for women's rights.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-63086321


India’s top court gives equal abortion access to all women

India’s Supreme Court has ruled that all women, regardless of marital status, can obtain abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies

By BHUMIKA SARASWATI, Associated Press
September 29, 2022

NEW DELHI -- India's Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that all women, regardless of marital status, can obtain abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies.

Previously, under India’s abortion law, married women could have abortions up to 24 weeks into their pregnancies, but single women were limited to 20 weeks. On Thursday, the court extended the 24-week period to all women.

Continued: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/indias-top-court-equal-abortion-access-women-90689941


Right to abortion: Indian court legalizes, Bangladesh still restricts

Abortion in Bangladesh is punishable by different jail terms and fines

Nawaz Farhin Antara
September 29, 2022

The right to abortion for women of all ages has emerged as a bold demand around the world at various times. In this situation, it became a matter of awakening when unmarried women also got the right to abortion in India.

India's Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a woman's right to abortion cannot be taken away considering her marital status. Unmarried women who become pregnant unintentionally will have the right to an abortion within 24 weeks.

Continued: https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2022/09/29/right-to-abortion-indian-court-legalizes-bangladesh-still-restricts


Unmarried Indian Women Deserve Access To Safe Abortions

SNEHAL MUTHA
August 29, 2022

One of the many ways society polices women’s bodies and sexuality is by creating different hierarchies of medical care that a woman could receive based on whether society approves of her lifestyle or not. For instance, did you know that the upper time limit to seek abortion care is different for married and single women in our country? While this could change legally, soon, it does make us wonder, when will women’s rights stop being subjective to society’s understanding of morality?

The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act has to date discriminated between married and unmarried women by limiting the latter’s access to abortion care to a certain limit. The prejudices were in Rule 3B(c) of the MTP Rules, 2003, which allows termination up to 24 weeks for women, who undergo a change of marital status during the pregnancy, but for unmarried women, it is 20 weeks.  

Continued: https://www.shethepeople.tv/top-stories/opinion/abortion-care-for-unmarried-women/


India – SC Announces Unmarried Pregnant Women Also Have The Right To Abortion

In light of US Supreme Court overturning Roe Vs Wade, the Supreme Court of India led by Justice Chandrachud declared that unmarried women can access abortion.

Written by Kinkini Gupta
August 26, 2022

The Supreme Court Chief Justice, D.Y. Chandrachud said that an unmarried woman has the right to abort her pregnancy even on the 24th week. The bench was hearing the plea of a woman who wanted to abort after her partner left her. The court quoted from precedents, "A woman's right to reproductive choice is an inseparable part of her personal liberty under Article 21 of Constitution. She has a sacrosanct right to bodily integrity. There is no doubt that a woman's right to make reproductive choices is also a dimension of personal liberty."

The Supreme Court also stated that the decision taken by the Delhi High Court was unduly restrictive to not allow the woman to undergo abortion at 23 weeks just because she is unmarried.

Continued: https://www.thehealthsite.com/pregnancy/sc-announces-unmarried-pregnant-women-also-have-the-right-to-abortion-895733/


Abortion in Case of Unmarried Women in India – Everything That You Need To Know

The choice for abortion is not 'equal' for all women in India; the unmarried ones bear the maximum brunt.

FRIDAY, JULY 09

"I was 21 and unmarried when I conceived my first child. My partner was not ready for marriage yet, and I was not ready to abort my child. I had no means to sustain our (me and my baby) lives. My parents rushed me to the nearby doctor and wanted me to say that I wanted the abortion. I had no say in making probably what was the biggest decision of my life. I did not know what to do, who to approach. I wish I knew how to stand for myself," says Urmila (name changed).

Very little is known or discussed on young Indian women who seek medical termination of pregnancy for unintended pregnancy. What is appalling is that not many women themselves know much about their legal rights or safety concerns regarding abortion.

Continued: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/abortion-case-unmarried-women-india-everything-you-need-know-152027


South Korean women hope for change to abortion laws

South Korean women hope for change to abortion laws

April 9, 2019

More than a quarter of a century after the first of her three abortions—illegal in South Korea—Lim is still haunted by her sense of shame.

She was 24 and had a boyfriend, but neither was ready to wed. And it was 1993, when sex before marriage was still very much a taboo in the conservative country.

Continued: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-04-south-korean-women-abortion-laws.html