Nepal’s abortion law gaps draw global attention

At Women Deliver 2026, Nepal’s legal progress on reproductive rights was acknowledged—but weak implementation, legal contradictions, and social barriers drew sharp concern.

By REPUBLICA
May 1, 2026

MELBOURNE, May 1: Nepal’s abortion laws came under global scrutiny as rights advocates called for full decriminalization during the Women Deliver 2026 conference in Melbourne, held from April 27 to 30.

A Nepal-focused session on the final day spotlighted both the country’s progress and persistent gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). While speakers acknowledged Nepal’s relatively progressive legal framework, they warned that weak implementation and conflicting laws continue to put women at risk.

Continued: https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/nepals-abortion-law-gaps-draw-global-attention-12-10.html

Current abortion law in Nepal leading to unsafe practices

Although Nepal's Constitution and international women's rights movements guarantee the right to safe abortion, experts have pointed out that the recent Safe Abortion Act has narrowed this right, effectively criminalizing both service seekers and providers.

By Pabitra Sunar
June 17, 2025

KATHMANDU, June 17: Although Nepal's Constitution and international women's rights movements guarantee the right to safe abortion, experts have pointed out that the recent Safe Abortion Act has narrowed this right, effectively criminalizing both service seekers and providers.

This concern was raised by presenters during a recently held dialogue on reproductive rights. … experts argue that despite these provisions, the law has effectively criminalized the right to abortion. Pushpa Joshi, a member of YoSHAN, stated that the existing legal framework automatically leads to criminalization. As a result, instead of accessing safe abortion services, many women are forced into unsafe abortions, she said.

Continued: https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/current-abortion-law-in-nepal-leading-to-unsafe-practices-92-31.html

Experts Gather for Screening and Discussion of New Documentary on Abortion Reform in Nepal

Event in Kathmandu organized by the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Nepal-based Forum for Women, Law and Development.

May 30, 2025

The Center for Reproductive Rights and the Nepal-based Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) marked the release of a new documentary on Nepal abortion reform by hosting a screening and panel discussion in Kathmandu.

The documentary, Collective Voyage: A Tireless Journey for Ensuring the Right to Safe Abortion in Nepal, showcases Nepal’s remarkable 25-year journey from abortion as a crime to what is now a fundamental, constitutional right.

Continued; https://reproductiverights.org/documentary-launch-abortion-reform-nepal/

30.05.2025

Film, Art, Books

Anubha Rastogi

Center for Reproductive Rights

Clara Rita Padilla

Collective Voyage: A tireless journey for ensuring the right to safe abortion in Nepal

Dr. Gauri Pradhan

Forum for Women Law and Development

Nepal – Decrminalise abortion: Rights activists

By Ram Kumar Kamat
Mar 18, 2023

Kathmandu – Article 38(2) of the constitution ensures the right of every woman to safe motherhood and reproductive health thereby acknowledging the right to safe abortion as part of reproductive health right, but in practice, women have not been able to enjoy this right, due to criminalisation of abortion and a number of restrictive measures.

Executive Director of Forum for Women, Law and Development Sabin Shrestha said Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, which was brought to enable women to enjoy their reproductive health rights, conversely prohibited abortion after 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Continued: https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/decrminalise-abortion-rights-activists

18.03.2023

News

Centre for Reproductive Rights

decriminalisation of abortion

Prabhakar Shrestha

Sabin Shrestha

Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act

Nepal – ‘Govt not serious about decriminalising abortion’

By Ram Kumar Kamat
Apr 03, 2022

KATHMANDU, APRIL 2 - Even one year after Nepal accepted the Human Rights Council's universal periodic review recommendation that it should decriminalise abortion, the government has not taken any concrete steps to amend the prevailing laws that criminalise abortion.

In 2018, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Committee had also recommended that Nepal fully decriminalise abortion in all cases and legalise it at least in the cases of health complications of the mother.

Continued: https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/govt-not-serious-about-decriminalising-abortion

Nepal accepts UN UPR report recommendation to decriminalise abortion

While Nepal had legalised abortion in 2002, it remains a matter under criminal law

August 07, 2021

Following the Universal Periodic Review of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Nepal has accepted a recommendation from France that the country decriminalise abortion and completely protect the rights and sexual and reproductive health of women and girls.

"This is a key milestone in our efforts to decriminalise abortion and advance reproductive rights as human rights around the globe," said Prabina Bajracharya, the Centre for Reproductive Rights’ Capacity Building Manager for Asia. "We look forward to working with our partners and government officials in Nepal to ensure these recommendations are fully and effectively implemented."

Continued: https://www.theweek.in/news/world/2021/08/07/nepal-accepts-un-upr-report-recommendation-to-decriminalise-abortion.html

Access to Medical Abortion and Self-Managed Abortion: FIGO and Partners Share Key Insights with the United Nations

FIGO
22 April 2021

On 18th March 2021, FIGO – in collaboration with the Centre for Reproductive Rights and Ipas – organised a discussion on ‘Access to medical abortion and self –managed abortion. Key insights from health workers and human rights advocates: on guaranteeing human rights’ with United Nations treaty monitoring committee members and Special Procedures mandate holders.

These elected UN experts have a responsibility to interpret human rights treaties, which includes monitoring states’ compliance with their legally binding human rights obligations and recommendations from UN experts. This includes reproductive rights and access to safe abortion. The UN experts do this by conducting fact-finding missions and issuing progress reports and statements, in addition to conducting review meetings with governments to assess their progress.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/access-medical-abortion-and-self-managed-abortion

Nepal – Women still unable to enjoy reproductive health rights

Women still unable to enjoy reproductive health rights

Published: December 21, 2018

It has already been four months since the Parliament passed Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, but due to lack of effective implementation many women across the country are not able to enjoy these rights.

The act has legalised abortion and it has the provision for free abortion service at all public health facilities. This law makes abortion legal for all cases up to 12 weeks’ of gestation on request, up to 28 weeks’ gestation in cases of rape or incest, and at any time if the pregnancy poses a danger to the woman’s life, or physical or mental health, or in case of foetal abnormality.

Continued: https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/women-still-unable-to-enjoy-reproductive-health-rights/

21.12.2018