| dc.description.abstract | In Sri Lanka, abortion is only permitted when the life of the mother is in danger, yet,
making it is illegal in most cases. Regardless of the legal restrictions, women still seek and
access illegal abortion services. It is evident that Rights Groups have been advocating for
the decriminalization of abortion in the country for many years with the aim of ensuring
safer and equitable access to abortion services as the clandestine practices pose significant
risks to women’s health and well-being, occasionally resulting in tragic consequences,
including loss of life. Therefore, this paper revolves around analyzing the multifaceted
factors influencing access to abortion focusing on the interconnections between legal,
social, economic and healthcare sectors with the prime goal of striving towards ensuring
women’s reproductive rights, safeguarding their health and preventing unnecessary loss
of life. The study begins by examining the legal frameworks surrounding abortion in
both Sri Lankan and UK jurisdictions. Furthermore, the study investigates the social
attitudes, cultural beliefs associated with abortion, economic implications of accessing
safe and legal abortion services and the healthcare sector’s role in providing reproductive
healthcare services for survivors of rape seeking abortion services. By examining the
interplay between these sectors in the two jurisdictions, the study aims to identify barriers
and facilitators that shape access to safe and legal abortion services in case of rapeinduced
pregnancies in Sri Lanka and to raise the urgent need for comprehensive reforms
by drawing insights from best practices observed in the UK jurisdiction. | en_US |
