Under the new law, passed late Wednesday, women can
terminate a pregnancy within the first three months if it is likely to
“aggravate or cause material, educational, professional or moral distress, and
incompatible with the woman or the unborn child’s interest.”
Previously, abortion was authorized if pursing the
pregnancy “threatened the life of the mother”, was “the result of a rape or
incest” or when “the unborn child has a particularly severe affection”.
After a heated debate in parliament, with some
lawmakers strongly opposed to legalising abortion further, the amendment
finally passed.
Several countries in Africa have total bans on
abortion, including Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Djibouti, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal.
“In Benin, nearly 200 women die each year as the
result of abortion complications,” said health minister Benjamin Hounkpatin in
a statement Thursday.
“This measure will be a relief for many women who face
undesired pregnancies, and are forced to put their lives in danger with botched
abortions,” he added.
The minister said that complications from abortions
were the cause of 20per cent of maternal deaths in the country.
“It is because of this public health threat that the
government has taken its responsibilities by submitting a text that lawmakers
have passed,” said Hounkpatin.
He said the new measure’s “unique goal” was to “save
human lives” and that “voluntary termination of pregnancies will remain a last
resort”.
The influential Episcopal Conference of Benin said it
was “highly preoccupied with the proposed law to legalize abortions”.
“Abortion not only destroys the life of the foetus but
also that of the mother, in many aspects,” the religious group said in a
statement.
Abortion laws vary wildly around the world, but only a
minority of countries have outright bans.
Women from Europe, North America and Oceania benefit
from the most liberal legislation, in some cases acquired only recently.
New Zealand, for example, only decriminalized abortion
in March 2020. Up to then, it was punishable with a 14-year prison term.
