Eliminating discrimination against women in the area of health and safety, with a focus on the instrumentalization of women's bodies 2016, para. 80
Paragraphe
Paragraph text
As demonstrated by WHO data, criminalizing termination of pregnancy does not reduce the need for it. Rather, it is likely to increase the number of women seeking clandestine and unsafe solutions. Countries in Northern Europe, where women gained the right to termination of pregnancy in the 1970s or 1980s and are provided with access to information and to all methods of contraception, have the lowest rates of termination of pregnancy. Ultimately, criminalization does grave harm to women's health and human rights by stigmatizing a safe and needed medical procedure. In countries where induced termination of pregnancy is restricted by law and/or otherwise unavailable, safe termination of pregnancy is a privilege of the rich, while women with limited resources have little choice but to resort to unsafe providers and practices. This results in severe discrimination against economically disadvantaged women, which the Working Group has highlighted during its country visits.
Status juridique
Non-negotiated soft law
Organe
Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice
Type de document
Special Procedures' report
Mode d'adoption
N.A.
Thèmes
Equality & Inclusion
Health
Personnes concernées
Women
Année
2016
Type de paragraphe
Other
Reference
WG Discrimination Against Women, Report to the HRC (2016), A/HRC/32/44, para. 80.