Abortion: The Battle Rages On

On Wednesday Committees in both chambers of the state Legislature advanced bills aimed at further restricting abortion procedures in the state of Louisiana, USA.

Senate President John Alario is keen on ensuring the proposed bill called the “Viable and Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” becomes law.

Those who support Pain-Capable Child Protection Acts argue that the unborn can feel pain prior to birth, and that laws protecting them from pain are constitutional.

While USA is generally perceived to be open minded society on most things, when it comes to abortion the society is still very much polarised.

The two main groups involved in the abortion debate are the “pro-choice” movement (those that advocate the right of women to choose whether they wish to bring a fetus to term) and the “pro-life” movement (those that advocate the right of the unborn child to be born)

In the state of Louisiana the advancement of the “Viable and Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” seems to be pointing towards the pro-life camp but its still early days.

In Zimbabwe abortions are illegal except but are allowed in limited situations.The Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977 permits it when “the life of the woman is endangered, the child may suffer a permanent physical or mental defect, or the fetus was conceived as a result of rape or incest”.

While the issues surrounding the moral and legal status of abortion are rarely discussed in Zimbabwe, we all know that illegal abortions happen on a daily basis in that old lady’s hut, university dorms and doctors offices…that is the reality of our society.