Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Polity, Topic: Rights issues, Issue: Abortion laws
Context: France becomes the first country to make abortion a constitutional right.
- The U.S Supreme Court in 2022 overruled Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized women’s constitutional right to abortion.
| Pro-life (opposing abortion) | Pro-choice (supporting abortion) |
| Right to Life of the Foetus: Abortion is seen as moral equivalent to murder. | Woman’s Right to Bodily Autonomy: power and agency to make choices over one’s body without coercion or violence. |
| Religious Beliefs: Condemn abortion as a violation of God’s will. | Women’s Health: Restricting access to safe and legal abortion can lead to unsafe practices. |
| Focus on Alternatives: Resources and support for pregnant women in difficult situations. | Focus on choice: Women should have the right to make the choice for themselves. |
Regulation in India:
Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 1971
- This act legalises abortion under certain conditions.
- Grounds for Abortion:
- Risk to the woman’s life,
- substantial risk of physical or mental abnormalities in the foetus, and
- pregnancy arising out of rape or incest.
- 2021 Amendment: Extended the gestational limit for abortion from 20 weeks to 24 weeks.
- Unmarried Women: A Supreme Court judgement in 2022 clarified that unmarried women have the same right to safe and legal abortion as married women.
