France becomes the only country to explicitly guarantee abortion as a constitutional right

Posted 06 Mar 2024

Updated 27 Mar 2024

2 min read

This comes after the controversial decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strip women of the right to abortion.

Arguments in favor of Abortion
- Abortion rights are essential to uphold a woman's autonomy and bodily integrity.
- Denying abortion jeopardizes women's health, freedom, and equality.

Arguments Against Abortion
- Terminating a pregnancy is equivalent to taking a human life
- Psychological and emotional impact on women who undergo the procedure.
In India, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971 permits licensed medical professionals to perform abortions in specific predetermined situations.
- As per the 2021 Amendment in the MTP Act,
  - The opinion of only one doctor will be required up to 20 weeks of gestation.
  - Authorization of two doctors is required, for gestation period from 20 to 24 weeks for special categories of women like
    - Survivors of rape, victims of incest, etc.
- Supreme Court Judgment (X vs. Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Govt. of NCT of Delhi)
  - SC held that unmarried women have the same right to abortion as married women.
  - SC also ruled that under the MTP Act, rape would include marital rape as well.

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