LAWS CONCERNING THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH ABORTION IS PERMITTED IN COUNTRIES RECEIVING FY2001 USAID

POPULATION ASSISTANCE

 

 

·         As a matter of law and policy, USAID does not promote abortion as a method of family planning, and USAID funds cannot be used to fund abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or if the life of the woman is in danger.

 

·         The information below is based on available published sources and reflects the situation as of 2001.  Countries vary in how they apply or enforce their abortion laws.

 

 

Countries where laws permit early abortion on request (16):

 

Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

 

Countries where laws permit abortion for socioeconomic reasons, also to save the woman’s life, physical health and mental health (2):

 

India, Zambia

 

Countries where laws permit abortion for risks to the woman’s health, and, in some of these countries, in cases of fetal defect, rape or incest (18):

 

Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ecuador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Peru, Rwanda, Zimbabwe

 

Countries where laws permit abortion only to save the life of the woman (22):

 

Bangladesh, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Paraguay, Philippines, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen

 

Countries where law prohibits abortion altogether (1):

 

El Salvador

 

 

-- Prepared by the Office of Population

USAID

March 2001