The UK parliament has taken its first major step towards reproductive rights for women in 60 years and voted to decriminalise abortion.
People march during a protest calling for abortion law reform in London, (REUTERS)
The amendment, which called for the decriminalisation of abortion beyond the 24-week mark, was put forward by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi.
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In a landslide vote, British MPs voted 379 in favour of decriminalising abortion, while 137 voted against the bill.
Based on this historic passing, women who terminate their pregnancy outside the rules (24 week mark), will no longer be at risk of being investigated by the police or be subject to a life sentence.
However, medical professionals who assist women in obtaining an abortion outside the 24-week limit could still face prosecution.
While presenting the amendment, Antoniazzi highlighted the recent cases of Nicola Packet, Carla Foster, Bethany Cox and other women who had been penalised and sentenced to prison for terminating their pregnancies.
UK repeals 19th-century law
In the amendment passed by British MPs, parts of the 1861 law will be revoked. The bill was originally passed by an all-male parliament that deemed that ending a pregnancy was a crime.
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In 1967, this law was amended and permitted abortion in certain circumstances. However, the potential life sentence for women who terminated their pregnancy beyond the 24-week limit remained vulnerable.
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In 1967, this law was amended and permitted abortion in certain circumstances. However, the potential life sentence for women who terminated their pregnancy beyond the 24-week limit remained vulnerable.
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The Labour MP added that the 19th century law had resulted in investigations being launched against 100 women in the past five years. The MP added that the majority of the cases were against women who had given birth prematurely or were forced into abortions by abusive partners.
"Each one of these cases is a travesty enabled by our outdated abortion law. This is not justice, it is cruelty, and it has got to end," she was quoted as saying.
The bill will now move to the House of Commons and then the House of Lords to be implemented into a law.
Danita Yadav is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times. Based in New Delhi, Danita serves as a pivotal voice in international reportage in the team. Operating under the mandate of delivering "without the noise", Danita excels at distilling complex geopolitical developments into lucid, objective narratives which prioritise factual accuracy over sensationalism. In HT, Danita has been recognised for her breaking news efforts and time-bound coverage of the Air India crash, which has driven over 2 million users to the website through trusted, factual coverage of the incident. Thriving in high-pressure editorial environments, Danita has also cultivated a reputation for navigating the nuances of global diplomacy and cross-border policy. With over four years of experience in the journalism industry, Danita has spent her years diving deep into the coverage of international relations and global conflicts. She has previously worked with the news teams at Outlook India and Times Network, covering a wide range of beats and topics, from education curricula and student protests to Indian politics and international conflicts such as the Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan wars. Danita earned her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi. Beyond the newsroom and her love for international relations, you'll find Danita 'geeking' out over books, music and BTS. Her appreciation for global pop culture and storytelling also added to her unique perspective on the "soft power" dynamics that increasingly have shaped international relations in the ever-changing global order.
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Home/World News/UK repeals 19th century law, votes to decriminalise abortion in England, Wales
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