There are different levels of legality of abortion around the world–countries seem to have varying standards and laws.
For example, countries that are communist or were previously communist generally have the most liberal laws with regards to abortion [1].
Russia, China, Japan and India have particularly permissive laws as well, despite the fact that they do not have the necessary health care facilities for safe abortion procedures [2].
Countries with more moderate laws include Great Britain, Sweden, and Scandinavia, which allow abortions for either medical or mental health reasons [3].
Finally, nations that restrict abortions include many nations in the Middle East, Asia and Latin America. In fact, approximately 20%-50% of all pregnancies in Latin America end in abortion [4].
Panama, Bolivia, Haiti, Colombia, Thailand and Indonesia have banned abortion outright. Nations with a large Catholic population (whose culture especially values and respects human life) also seem to have a large influence in making abortion illegal [5].
Despite its illegality, there are many instances in which abortion still occurs behind closed doors.
Instead of focusing solely on the legality of abortion, we should also turn our attention to how we can better support women to make good decisions and help them care for their children when they might find themselves in difficult situations.
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References
[1] Time Magazine (U.S.). (1973). Time Magazine, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906898,00.html
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
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Image Originally From Centre for Reproductive Rights
