Repeal penalty on abortion

(published letter to the editor, The Manila Times, November 14, 2005)

IN 2000 estimates showed that despite the illegality of abortion, 473,400 Filipino women induced abortions (Alan Guttmacher Institute and the University of the Philippines Population Institute, 2005). Out of every 100 pregnant women, 18 induced abortions. And because of
the illegality, about 78,900 women were hospitalized, and many others died from complications from clandestine and unsafe abortion. This has led to high maternal mortality, with a ratio of 200 deaths per 100,000 live births (UNFPA, 2005 State of the World Population).

Recognizing that criminalizing abortion does not lessen the number of abortion but makes it dangerous for women, the Cairo and Beijing conferences urged countries to review penalties against women who undergo abortions, and the United Nations Committee on the
Elimination of Discrimination Against Women recommended that state parties remove punitive provisions imposed on women who undergo abortion.

The United Nations Committees monitoring the implementation of treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights have all linked high rates of maternal mortality with illegal and unsafe abortion. The same committees have recommended state parties to review their legislation criminalizing abortion.

Having ratified the abovementioned treaties, the Philippines is obligated to repeal the Revised Penal Code provision imposing penalties on women inducing abortion and those assisting them. Predominantly Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and Belgium make safe and legal abortion available for their women. Indeed, our laws should be compassionate and responsive to women’s realities.--Clara Rita A. Padilla