UNITED NATIONS ISSUES WALL CHART ON ABORTION POLICIES
Press Release
POP/707
UNITED NATIONS ISSUES WALL CHART ON ABORTION POLICIES
19990301 NEW YORK, 1 March (Population Division) -- A wall chart recently issued by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides up-to-date information available on the abortion policies of 193 nations. The preparation of the wall chart was facilitated by the close cooperation among United Nations bodies.The chart indicates the grounds on which induced abortion is legally permitted in each of the countries. Based on an extensive review of national and international sources, the chart discloses that 98 per cent of the countries permit abortion to be performed to save the woman's life. Abortion under other circumstances varies; 63 per cent of countries permit abortion to preserve the woman's physical health; in 62 per cent of countries, abortion is legal to preserve the woman's mental health, and in 43 per cent of countries when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest.
A review of the 193 countries by level of development reveals substantial differences in abortion policies between the developed and developing countries. Among the 48 developed countries, 65 per cent permit abortion on all grounds, whereas the corresponding figure for 145 developing countries is 14 per cent. The information on abortion practices and policies is complemented by the relevant demographic data for each country.
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NOTE:World Abortion Policies, 1999 (Sales No. E.99.XIII.5) at $5.95 per copy may be obtained from the Sales Section, United Nations, New York or Geneva; through major booksellers throughout the world; or by writing to the Director, Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New York, N.Y. 10017, United States.