An Appraisal of Abortion Laws in Southern Africa from a Reproductive Rights Persepctive

This article emphasizes that the Southern Africa Development Community Countries (SADC) are all party to international human rights agreements that urge, in strong terms, the importance of access to abortion for the physical, mental and socio-economic well-being of women. In spite of this, the author argues that most SADC countries make abortion available only under the most onerous terms and with a plethora of administrative difficulties that, combined with the critical shortage of doctors, sometimes render even abortion that meets the strict criteria impossible in practice. The author urges SADC countries to liberalize their abortion laws, but further, calls on them to seriously commit resources to ensuring that women are able to exercise this right. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - Abortion, International - Africa]