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Togo OK?s Certain Abortion Cases

On a continent that has one of the highest birth rates in the world, Togo stands almost alone among African nations that have passed a law legalizing abortions in certain cases. This week, Togo?s government okayed legislation that would make it legal for women to have an abortion if their pregnancy resulted from rape, or ? worse ? an incestuous relationship. The law will also allow the fetus to be aborted if it runs the risk of suffering from a serious medical condition.

Until recently, Togo ? like most African countries ? frowned on the idea of abortion. Only women whose life or physical health was at risk were entitled to seek an abortion. Under the new law, the criteria for an abortion have changed although the punishment for violation of the law remains the same. Anybody involved in an illegal abortion faces up to five years in jail and stiff fines. Pro-choice activists regularly call on the government to change these penalties as they say women are turning to amateur and inexperienced people to obtain illegal abortions and are thus risking their health.

The women in this West African country have an average of six children each and only 10% of married women use one type of contraception or another. Traditional beliefs and cultural taboos on most of the continent condemn abortion, although it is felt that the tides are turning slowly to accommodate a more modern approach to the issue.