Taiwan’s Enduring Controversies Over Abortion Laws

June 4, 2025
Hope Ngo

We have quantum theory to thank for “Schröedinger’s Cat,” a thought experiment involving a box that is said to contain a radioactive atom, a container of poison, and a cat. In the experiment, the animal is said to be both alive and dead until the box is opened and the cat’s condition is confirmed one way or the other. Unfortunately, the same can be said of the status of abortion rights in Taiwan—that it is both legal and illegal because the procedure is governed by two very different, contradicting laws. So, while Taiwan has staked out a progressive position regarding LGBTQ+ rights, it cannot say the same about its more complex social attitudes and laws regarding women’s reproductive rights.

In Taiwan, abortion is allowed under specific conditions specified by the Genetic Health Act (優生保健法), but it is penalized under Articles 288, 290, and 292 of the Criminal Code (中華民國刑法). Under the Genetic Health Act, legal abortions can be performed under six conditions. These conditions include:

Continued: https://globaltaiwan.org/2025/06/taiwans-enduring-controversies-over-abortion-laws/

Taiwan – Abortion bill would remove need for ‘husband’s consent’

LONG TIME COMING: An amendment to the abortion law has been mulled for decades, and in 2012 the HPA was ordered to change it

By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CAN
Fri, Dec 11, 2020

The Health Promotion Administration (HPA) is drafting an amendment to remove the requirement for married women to obtain permission from their partner before having an abortion, which it hopes to present by March, it said on Wednesday.

Under Article 9 of the Genetic Health Act, induced abortion by a married woman “shall be subject to her husband’s consent unless her husband is missing, unconscious or deranged.”

Continued: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2020/12/11/2003748526

11.12.2020

Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women

Genetic Health Act

Health Promotion Administration

Proposed law would allow Taiwanese women to get abortion without spouses’ approval

7,427 Taiwanese back proposed amendment to allow married women to seek abortion without spousal consent

By Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2020/12/10

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's Health Promotion Administration (HPA) on Wednesday (Dec. 9) announced that it will propose the elimination of a law that requires women to receive permission from their spouse to have an abortion.

Article 9 of the Genetic Health Act states that if a married woman wishes to undergo an abortion, she must first receive consent from her spouse. However, a petition to rescind the law on the Public Policy Proposal Platform received 7,441 signatures, exceeding the minimum number of 5,000 needed to require a government department to issue a response.

Continued: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4074322

Are illegal abortions in Hong Kong related to ‘class problem’?

Are illegal abortions in Hong Kong related to ‘class problem’?
High costs for private hospitals and stretched public health services blamed for women turning to black market or mainland to seek help over unwanted pregnancies

Saturday, 02 September, 2017

Increasing numbers of Hong Kong women are risking their lives by seeking illegal abortions at makeshift clinics in the city or on the mainland, an issue which a local lawmaker has condemned as a huge “class problem”.

Speaking to City Weekend after two women were jailed for carrying out illegal abortions in Hong Kong, Shiu Ka-chun, who represents the social welfare sector in the Legislative Council, said Hong Kong’s overburdened public hospitals meant not all pregnant women could get an abortion even if they were eligible. This forced them to resort to dangerous means out of desperation, he added.

Continued at source: South China Morning Post: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2109340/are-illegal-abortions-hong-kong-related-class