The Most Liberal Abortion Laws Globally

Abortion laws vary widely around the world, with some countries having highly restrictive laws and others offering broad access. In recent years, there has been a global trend towards the liberalization of abortion laws, particularly in industrialized nations. This has resulted in improved access to reproductive health services and increased maternal survival rates. However, the safety of abortion procedures varies significantly between countries, with almost 90% of abortions in countries with liberal abortion laws considered safe, compared to just 25% in countries where abortion is banned. While a large majority of countries permit abortion under certain circumstances, 24 countries ban it entirely. These include Andorra, Malta, El Salvador, Honduras, Senegal, Egypt, the Philippines, and Laos. In contrast, countries such as Japan, India, Canada, and most European nations offer broader access to abortion, either on request or based on social or economic grounds. The United States, on the other hand, has seen a rollback of abortion rights, with the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, leaving each state to determine the legality of the procedure.

Abortion laws in Latin America

Latin America is home to some of the world's most restrictive abortion laws. Only four countries in the region—Cuba, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Argentina—allow abortion without restrictions as to the cause. In most other countries, exceptions are only provided when necessary to save the pregnant woman's life or in other narrowly defined circumstances, such as when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

In Chile, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic, there are no exceptions or extenuating circumstances for the criminal sanctions on abortion. Even in countries where abortion is not punished by law, women often have severely limited access due to a lack of proper regulation and political will.

In recent years, there has been a move towards liberalization in some Latin American countries. In 2020, Argentina became the latest country in the region to legalize abortion without restrictions up until the 14th week of pregnancy. Previously, voluntary pregnancy interruption was only allowed under certain circumstances, such as in cases of rape or if the pregnant person's health or life was in danger.

In 2021, the Supreme Court of Mexico found the absolute criminalization of abortion to be unconstitutional and recognized the right to abortion early in pregnancy. As of 2024, about 40% of Mexican states comply with this ruling.

Public opinion on abortion in Latin America is divided. A 2020 survey found that over one-third of Latin Americans supported legalizing voluntary pregnancy terminations under certain circumstances, while 26% thought abortion should be allowed if a woman so decides. Another 29% of respondents answered that abortion should be, on principle, forbidden.

Abortion laws in Europe

Malta is the only EU country with a total ban on abortion, while Poland imposed a near-total ban in 2020, allowing abortion only in cases of rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger. Grounds for abortion are also highly restricted in Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and the Faroe Islands. Abortion laws in Europe are influenced by a variety of factors, including national laws, policies, availability of the procedure, and alternative forms of support for pregnant women and their families.

Public opinion on abortion in Europe varies, with majorities in most of the 27 places surveyed by the Pew Research Center in 2023 and 2024 saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Sweden stands out as the country with the highest support for abortion rights, with 95% of Swedes saying abortion should be legal, including 66% who support abortion in all cases. Poland, on the other hand, has more restrictive views compared to other European countries, with 56% supporting legal abortion and 36% opposing it.

The debate around abortion in Europe has been influenced by cultural, religious, and political factors. Restrictions on abortion have often corresponded with laws and societies influenced by Christianity, with the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Christianity strongly condemning abortion. However, individual Protestant churches have adopted differing positions. The impact of religion on abortion views is evident in the relationship between the importance of religion in people's lives and their support for abortion rights. For example, in Nigeria, where 99% of people consider religion important, only 8% support legal abortion.

Abortion laws in the US

From 1973 to 2022, Supreme Court rulings in Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) created and maintained federal protections for a pregnant woman's right to get an abortion, ensuring that states could not ban abortion prior to the point at which a fetus may be deemed viable. However, in 2022, Roe and Casey were overturned by Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and states were given the authority to impose any regulation on abortion as long as it does not conflict with federal law.

As a result of the Dobbs ruling, the legal status of abortion is determined by state legislation and court rulings. Currently, abortion is banned in 14 states, while four have banned the procedure past roughly six weeks of pregnancy. Other states have enacted laws or held ballot referendums to protect abortion rights. The future of abortion in some states is uncertain due to legal challenges. For example, in Georgia, a judge overturned the state's six-week abortion ban in September 2024, but the Republican attorney general appealed, and the state supreme court reinstated the ban.

Ten states are scheduled to hold ballot measures on abortion rights during the November 2024 elections. The abortion landscape in the US is deeply uneven, with access to abortion clinics varying across the country. While some states have added new protections since Dobbs, many states limit abortion around fetal "viability," or around 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion laws in Asia

South Korea

In South Korea, abortion was illegal until 2019, when a court ruling decriminalized the procedure. Despite opposition from conservative and religious groups, the criminal provisions around abortion expired, effectively legalizing abortion at any stage of pregnancy. However, this has created a policy vacuum, with no laws governing when, where, or how abortions can take place. As a result, women and doctors are forced to navigate a state of legal uncertainty, and access to safe abortions remains hindered.

Indonesia

Indonesia has significant restrictions on abortion access, only permitting it when the woman's health is at risk. This includes both physical and mental health.

The Philippines

The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world where abortion is completely prohibited. Abortion under all circumstances is illegal in the country, and those who undergo or perform abortions can face criminal charges and penalties.

Japan

Japan legalized abortion in 1948 through the Eugenic Protection Law, which was amended in 1949 to allow abortions for economic reasons as well.

India

India is one of the countries where more than half of women of reproductive age can safely access abortion, either on request or based on broad social or economic grounds.

While some Asian countries have made strides towards liberalizing abortion laws, others continue to have restrictive policies or bans in place. These laws often reflect the influence of religion and traditional social norms. The lack of access to safe and legal abortion care impacts millions of women in Asia, underscoring the ongoing struggle for reproductive rights in the region.

Abortion laws in Africa

Abortion laws vary widely among countries and territories, and have changed over time. Abortion laws in Africa are no exception to this. While abortions are legal in much of Africa, many women may not be aware of this, and providers don't advertise their services. More than 20 countries across Africa have loosened restrictions on abortion in recent years, but experts say that many women probably don't realize they are entitled to a legal abortion.

In Ghana, for example, abortions are lawful under certain conditions, but some women still worry about the legality of the procedure. This was the case for Efua, a 25-year-old fashion designer and single mother in Ghana who became pregnant in 2023. Efua sought an abortion at a health clinic but was nervous about the procedure's legality. Health workers assured her that abortions were legal under certain conditions in the West African country.

The Maputo Protocol, a human rights treaty in effect since 2005 for all 55 countries of the African Union, says every nation on the continent should grant women the right to a medical abortion in cases of rape, sexual assault, incest, and endangerment for the mental or physical health of the mother or fetus. However, more than a dozen African countries have yet to pass laws granting women access to abortions.

Even in countries that have legalized abortion, obstacles to access remain, and misinformation is rampant in many countries. For example, a recent study found that Google and Meta restricted access to accurate information about abortion in countries including Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. The study also found that these tech giants banned local abortion providers from advertising their services while allowing anti-abortion groups to push false claims.

Despite the expanded legality of abortion in some African countries, some doctors and nurses say they've become increasingly wary of openly providing abortions due to the growing anti-abortion movement in their countries. This movement has been emboldened by the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which removed constitutional protection for abortion in the U.S. The spike in opposition groups has alarmed reproductive rights advocacy groups, who note that a significant amount of funding for anti-abortion efforts appears to come from conservative American groups.

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