Abortion is defined as deliberately terminating an existing pregnancy by removing or
extinguishing a fetus from the uterus before viable. It usually needs to take place during the first three
months of the pregnancy. Doctors have two methods to complete the procedure; the most common
one being suction curettage which involves removing the fetus from the womb by scraping the woman’s
uterus. The other method is by taking a pill which causes the body to block the hormone progesterone,
which helps with the development of the embryo.
Abortion is somewhat connected to teenage pregnancy through which mostly a lot of young
moms undergo in this kind of operation. Arguing if abortion is morally acceptable or not will always be a
controversial topic in every parts of the world. Abortion is controversial because it involves religious
beliefs and women's rights. Some argue that abortions should be illegal and considered murder, while
others, from a religious point of view, say that no one has the right to take away the life of a person, in
this case the fetus. However, others insist, that abortions are a basic woman’s right. The act of abortion
should be legalized because it can save lives, it does not cause distress to women, and criminalization of
abortion violates the fundamental human rights of women and girls.
Pro-Life activists disagree with abortion mostly for religious reasons and believe that all life is
sacred and given to us by God. Pro-Choice activist think abortion is acceptable because it is the woman's
body and she can do whatever she wants to it and understand the reasons why a woman would want to
terminate her pregnancy. We all have our own life experiences, and only by going through them will we
understand how difficult it is to be in that situation.
To begin, legalizing abortion can save thousands of lives. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), nations with broadly permissive abortion laws had fewer complications linked with
unsafe abortions than countries with more restrictive abortion regulations. Nearly half of all abortions
are unsafe, either because they are conducted by people who lack the required knowledge or skills, or
because they are performed in an environment that does not meet minimum medical standards, or both
(WHO). According to statistics, there is a link between the number of unsafe abortions and restrictive
laws: deaths related to abortion are much more common in countries with highly restrictive laws (34
deaths per 100,000 childbirths) than in countries with less restrictive laws (14 deaths per 100,000
childbirths) (1 death or less per 100,000 childbirths). As a result, criminalizing abortion does not lead to
fewer abortions, but rather to more dangerous abortions.
Moreover, Abortion does not cause distress to women. Although women's reactions to abortion
differ, multiple research published in Perspectives found no evidence that having an abortion causes
later mental health difficulties. Four out of ten women in a clinic-based sample assessed in 1975
reported unresolved unfavorable feelings about their abortion four months later. They were
distinguished from the rest by having "attributes that implied avoidance of feelings or a negative self-
image," as well as less stable relationships and less support from their partners than women who had
their concerns about the surgery alleviated.
Lastly, criminalization of abortion violates the fundamental human rights of women and girls.
Women who are enduring an unwanted pregnancy do not have equal access to safe and dignified health
care, which is discriminatory because it only undermines women's rights. It violates the Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women's Articles 1 and 12. (CEDAW). Women's
rights to life, health, physical, mental, and moral integrity, autonomy, intimacy, dignity, and freedom
from harsh, inhuman, and humiliating treatment are all violated when the state fails to ensure equal
access to reproductive rights. "The enactment or enforcement of legislation that penalize abortion may
constitute a violation of the State's commitment to respect, defend, and fulfill the right to health," said
UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Anand Grover.
All in all, Abortion should be allowed because it can save lives, it causes no distress to women,
and stigmatizing abortion violates women's and girls' fundamental human rights. Policymakers and
government agencies should educate the public on contraception, secure enough funding for
contraceptive services, and remove barriers to accessing methods, particularly for underprivileged
groups. The government should train more providers in the use of safer and less invasive types of care
to help de-stigmatize post abortion care. At the same time, the citizens specially the youths should have
an active participation on solving this kind of issue. Just like what Henry Ford says “Coming together is a
beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”.
