Friday, October 20, 2023

The Beninese government has adopted a decree setting out the conditions for voluntary termination of pregnancy.

The Government of Benin has adopted a decree setting out the conditions for voluntary interruption of pregnancy (VTP). This decision makes Benin one of the first countries in French-speaking Africa to have abortion legislation designed to protect the fundamental rights of women to access safe abortion care without fear of legal sanctions. As a reminder, on October 21, 2021, the Beninese Parliament passed an amending and complementary bill broadening the conditions of access to safe abortion in Benin. According to article 17, paragraph 2 of this new bill, “At the request of the pregnant woman, abortion may be authorized when the pregnancy is likely to aggravate or cause a situation of material, educational, professional or moral distress incompatible with the interests of the woman and/or the unborn child.”

Read the decree here

The ODAS Center also congratulates all the players in the safe abortion movement in French-speaking Africa, particularly those working in Benin, for the work they have done alongside the Beninese government to guarantee women’s right and access to safe and legal abortion services. The ODAS Center calls on all those involved to continue their work to disseminate and make effective this access to safe abortion to the last mile for all women and girls living in Benin.