German politicians are studying proposals to end restrictions on abortion, which women's groups argue create stigma and effectively ban the procedure. A government commission has presented proposals to permit abortion until the 12th week of pregnancy, overhauling existing laws that currently make it illegal and punishable by a three-year prison sentence.
Activists symbolically cross out paragraph 218, which deals with abortion, from the penal code in Berlin on Monday. Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPAare facing a radical shake-up as politicians study proposals to end restrictions that women’s groups say create stigma and, in some cases, an effective ban.
Official figures show some 104,000 abortions were registered in 2022, up nearly 10 per cent on the previous year but down by a half since 2003.Pregnant women still ‘forced to travel’ abroad for abortions six years after abortion legalised“Abortion is associated with stigmatisation and one approach to ending this is decriminalisation,” said Prof Daphne Hahn.
It remains unclear if Berlin’s ruling coalition will implement the findings. The Social Democratic Party and Greens promised reform in their 2021 election manifestos. For senior SPD Bundestag politician Katja Mast “legislators should not threaten women who have an abortion, and are already in a difficult situation, with the criminal code”.
Germany Abortion Laws Restrictions Women's Rights Government Commission Pregnancy Illegal Prison Sentence
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