SYNTHESISING LESSONS AND BEST PRACTICES: Achieving Progress On Abortion Laws, Policies And Practice in Selected African Countries

The main objective of the paper is to explore progressive developments in abortion law, policy and practice reforms in selected countries in the African region to identify best practices as well as drawing lessons for Uganda. The selected countries are: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and South Africa.

This paper is written against the backdrop of the historical criminalisation of abortion and its causal connection with a heavy burden of unsafe abortion-related mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa. It is based on two main premises: first, that abortion remains socially stigmatised and legally restricted such that the law is a crucial gateway to safe abortion services in Uganda as elsewhere on the continent; and second, that it is well established that laws that permit abortion on broad grounds impact positively on unsafe abortion-related mortality and morbidity provided the laws are implemented effectively and safe abortion services are available and accessible.