BMJ
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The global gag rule and what to do about it
BMJ 2017; 356 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j511 (Published 01 February 2017)
Cite this as: BMJ 2017;356:j511
Rapid response
Abortion is a Human Right
The United Nations Committee Affirms Abortion As A Human Right
Pope Francis has said that priests are to absolve women and health workers who procured an abortion or aided in one.
The right to safe abortion, to determine when and if to become a parent, and the right to healthy sexuality is an issue of both human rights and of social justice. Induced abortion is one of the most commonly performed medical interventions. Making abortion illegal does not reduce the number of abortions. Access to safe abortion and legalization of abortion can prevent unnecessary suffering and death of women.
In countries where abortion is legal and available, abortion is an extremely safe procedure. Making abortion illegal does not reduce the number of abortions: it simply reduces the safety of abortion. According to The World Health Organization (WHO), 20 million of the 42 million abortions performed every year are illegal and unsafe. In every country, it is young, rural and low-income women who bear the most suffering from unsafe abortion. These women are often already mothers, struggling to support the children they already have. With no safe options, women try to abort using sharp instruments or unsafe chemicals, or they seek help from people with no medical training. As a result, a woman dies of an unsafe abortion every 10 minutes (about 47 000 women every year).
Competing interests: No competing interests
03 February 2017
M A Aleem
Neurologist
A M Hakkim
ABC Hospital
Annamalainagar. Trichy 620018.Tamilnadu. India
@drmaaleem
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