India showing a way for Abortion Laws around the world
2020 was the year of uncertainties. We won’t talk about the most apparent — pandemic, instead, will peep into a matter that is highly subjective and sensitive (to women) yet very political around the world. So sensitive that legalizing it pleases the people of Argentina and criminalizing brings people of Poland to take onto the streets. It’s nothing but the legal status of termination of pregnancy widely known as abortion. For decades, the legality of abortion has been a bone of contention in most parts of the world. We often see governments changing their take on the legality of abortion as per their ideology. The right-wing or the conservatives advocate for the fetus’ rights to personhood, whereas the left or the liberals support women’s autonomous decision for her health, social consequences, and her “unformed-child”. Just to mention the fact that the Centre-Left government of Argentina legalized abortion in 2020 resulting in a huge celebration throughout the country. However, the Conservative government of Poland did exactly the opposite by criminalizing abortion except for most exceptional circumstances. While the world observes this clear divide between the Right and the Left, India surprises the world by Amending its Abortion Law!
Voluntary termination of pregnancy is an offence in India under the Indian Penal Code but The Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act enacted in 1971 makes it legal in almost all cases. It states that termination can take place within 12 weeks after the advice of one medical practitioner and up to 20 weeks on the advice of two. Considering numerous petitions being raised before the courts in India, asking for the termination of pregnancy after the 20 weeks limit called for a solution. It was in early 2020, the “Right-Wing” ruling government made an amendment to the Act extending the 12-weeks duration to 20 weeks and the 20-weeks limit to 24. Placing a woman’s autonomy rights over her fetus’, the amendment also includes unmarried women allowing them access to abortion, legally.
The alarming thing for us as humans is that why are we allowing different agendas to interfere with a woman’s womb? Shouldn’t this be a no-brainer that a woman should decide on conceiving a child? It’s not a topic to be debated among different ideologies but the entire human race should have a stand in the favour of women. First, we obstructed their path to be successful and now we are trying to move backward by disallowing them to choose (Poland to be specific). Being a “third world” conservative country, India leads the way to development where ideologies don’t clash with basic human rights.
The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill (2020) passed with absolutely no restriction. This is how you frame the laws keeping people in mind and not the ideology. The present government of India took major decisions in the past which didn’t go well, but this is something that didn’t come in the limelight yet empowering not just women but everyone around her.
