India: Yes to abortion before 24 weeks even for unmarried women

It is now allowed based on the Supreme Court of India n abortion before her 24th week and for unmarried women, a decision welcomed by women’s rights activists.

“Even an unmarried woman can undergo an abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy, just like married women,” said Justice DY Chandrachud, stressing that the fact that a woman is not married does not deprive her of the right to an abortion. .

A 1971 law restricted the right to abortion to married, widowed, divorced and minor women, to “those suffering from a disability or mental retardation” but also to those who were victims of sexual assault or rape.

A turning point for women’s rights

Today’s decision was taken following a legal action by a woman who alleged that she became pregnant while in a consensual relationship, but decided to terminate her pregnancy when she divorced. The decision is a turning point for women’s rights in India, activists stressed. “A huge step forward,” MP Mahua Moitra commented on Twitter.

The court added that sexual assault within marriage can be considered rape. The Indian penal code does not consider marital rape a crime, but efforts are being made to change this, APE-BPE reports, citing Reuters.