Time to Speak Out: Illegal Abortion and Women's Health in Pakistan,

Shirkat Gah
Shirkat Gah Special Bulletin, 1996

Chapters: Chapter 1 International Context, Chapter 2 Harsh Realities: the how and why of abortion in Pakistan, Chapter 3 Laws Governing Abortion, Chapter 4 Where do we go from here.

In this paper the question of abortion is first placed in the international context keeping the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in view. The local context is then provided by an overview of the reproductive health and population policies in Pakistan. In order to provide a clear picture of what motivates women to seek induced abortion in a country where it is illegal the paper lists a few factors along with case studies. It also presents scientific research on incidents of abortion along with the various traditional and modern methods that are used. At the end it also presents the laws governing abortion and the challenges posed to these laws. The paper further presents the findings of a workshop, which brought neglected issue of abortion to light.

Key words: Abortion, ICPD, Reproductive Health, Policies, Laws