Those archaic laws need a review — that’s the chorus of women’s rights activists who are keenly following the recent death case of 30-year-old dentist Savita Halappanavar’s in Ireland.
“Shocking that a woman dies as she was denied an abortion,” says women’s right lawyer Veena Gowda.
“The way we Indians look at abortion is different from the view in the West. For us, the right to abort is not as conflicted as in the West,” says Gowda, adding that this case is clearly a medical practice backed by law, which, in turn, is influenced by a strong patriarchal Catholic belief.
In the US, the right to abortion was a key election issue during the recent presidential election, says president of All India Democratic Women’s Association, Kiran Moghe. “Abortion laws are under attack everywhere... Here, the government conveniently converted its struggle against sex selection tests and has restricted abortion rights of women,” said Moghe, adding that it’s an unjust and unfair law which denies abortion even when the woman’s life is in imminent danger.
A woman has every right to go for an abortion, opines Sandhya Gokhale of the Forum against Oppression of Women. “The baby is not an independent entity unless it is born, so a woman has the right on her body. If she doesn’t want the baby, she should be allowed to go for abortion,” said Gokhale.
Shiv Sena legislator Neelam Gorhe, who is also a women’s rights activist, said that if Ireland claims that the incident is backed by its law, it is time to re-look the law. “It’s medically harmful and illogical in this day and age. We will throw this issue up for discussion at international forums,” said Gorhe.
Tough call
Savita Halappanavar, 30, a dentist of Indian origin, was admitted to a govt hospital in Ireland in the 17th-week of pregnancy in immense pain. Though she sought an abortion, doctors refused as the foetus’s heart was beating. As per Irish law, abortion is illegal
While Halappanavar had a miscarriage, the remains of the foetus were surgically removed. But, Savita who developed septicemia died on October 28
Catholics go on the defensive
