Today there are N- number of studies and research carried out by universities, governments, by the UN, reproductive healthcare institutes and researchers. In all these studies, it is stated that all around world, but especially, in developing / under-developed, women whether married or not do not have access to any kind of reproductive/ family planning services.
This include lack of sex education among the girls and boys [young generation] from these countries. For e.g. in the context of Senegal, where the majority of population is Muslim, there are numerous Muslim intellectuals and writers who remind us the origin of Islam. In this, contrary to most religions, two points are acknowledged – [ in the context of matrimony] primarily, that human beings are sexual in nature and secondly, these sexual desire are one of the most profound feeling of a human being.
The crux of the problem
There is an issue with prescribing abstinence pre-marriage as the best form of contraception. In countries that have traditional weddings, marriage is far from free. The young generation don’t have the means to get married when and how they like. With that being said, they are told to remain abstinent before marriage and yet, they have to wait for marriage because of lack of financial means.
On the other hand, there is prevalence of sexual violence in such countries. There are instances where young women face pregnancy due to being victims of rape and incest. On top of that, there is almost low to no chances for these women to access safe abortion pills or termination services.
In such cases, asking the women to sort herself out is not a practical or humane solution. Such behavior drives these girls to risk their life or be permanently disfigured with back-alley unsafe abortions.
Statistics say
According to global statistics, every day more than 68,000 women die from complication arisen from an unsafe/ illegal pregnancy termination. Meanwhile, there are approximately 2 million to seven million women who have survived unsafe abortions but suffered permanent injuries or disfigurement in the process.
Plus, there is issue of infanticide. We see a lot of women who are in prison because of infanticide as they could not abort. Plus, there are cases of abandonment of children in which they become the responsibility of the state or community.
A thing to note
Developing and undeveloped countries are part of international conventions of human rights too.
As a result, they should also eliminate the forms of discrimination done against women in regards to unsafe abortion, – that requires decriminalization of abortions.
It is important for everyone to take notice that women deciding to abort, do not do so lightly. In fact, research has proven that women who step into the clinic to buy abortion pill or access surgery are the surest of their decision compared to any other.
The experience of abortion is terrifying enough, that any suggestion of women seeking pregnancy termination, because they desire to so, is irrational.
The question then lies, whether governments of all the countries in the world have to reform their judicial system to overthrow the current oppressive/ restrictive laws and to give women the dignity to make the decisions of her body by herself.