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Abortion In Lebanon: A Black Hole For Women’s Rights
Abortion in many countries around the world is a basic and fundamental right for women, and only recently, Northern Ireland followed in the footsteps of the rest of the forward thinking world and legalised it after an overwhelming majority vote in their abortion referendum. Where does Lebanon fall on this scale?
Surprise surprise, in strong opposition – unless the pregnancy poses a danger to the mother’s life. Essentially, abortion in Lebanon is a black hole for women’s rights which is dictated by men and characterised by an obsession with women, their vaginas, and sex.
Articles 539-546 of the Lebanese penal code render abortion illegal, meaning women are liable to imprisonment for up to three years. That’s more time than rapists serve – if they serve any time at all. In 1969, this was subject to a presidential decree which noted that abortion is only permissable if there is danger to the mother’s life.
“It’s a baby!”, “It has a soul!” Many cry.
While this argument is advocated by many, the reality is that at the early stages of pregnancy, the foetus is nothing more than a bunch of cells. At which point exactly abortion should be legal until is another question completely, and one that is better left to medical experts – not the average citizen like you and I, and certainly not our politicians that jump at the opportunity to regulate women’s bodies.
Disagreeing with abortion is not an appropriate nor safe premise for keeping it illegal; women must be given the choice.
So why can’t women abort?
Another example of a bunch of men in suits dictating what women can and can’t do with their bodies in a society where matters relating to sex, sexual health, and reproductive rights are already grave taboo.
Banning abortion does not stop abortion.
Rather, it leads to unsafe terminations of pregnancies which have serious repercussions on the womens’ physical and emotional health, which is only fuelled by the stigma surrounding women and sex in Lebanese society. Legalising abortion would be an important step in overcoming these issues.
And while illegal abortions are possible and available, not all women have access to these facilities, leaving them no choice but to engage in unhealthy and life-threatening practices and home remedies. It’s either that or bringing a child into the world that they are not equipped to care for. This is supported by the fact that these women will be shunned from hospitals upon birth if they are not married, creating a vicious cycle of relentless suffering that women are subjected to because of laws and policies that have no logical basis.
The problem? Lebanon’s laws – across the spectrum – focus on protecting the wrong person, time and time again. Rape law aims to protect society and honour, while citizenship laws focus on protecting a ridiculous political agenda that leaves many children “stateless”. Time and time again, the individual in need of protection is left vulnerable and helpless, a recurring theme within Lebanon’s tragic legal system – undermining the entire operation of the law.
The answer? Legalise abortion in Lebanon and give women the choice to make their own decisions on matters that are related to their own bodies.
Surprise surprise, in strong opposition – unless the pregnancy poses a danger to the mother’s life. Essentially, abortion in Lebanon is a black hole for women’s rights which is dictated by men and characterised by an obsession with women, their vaginas, and sex.
Articles 539-546 of the Lebanese penal code render abortion illegal, meaning women are liable to imprisonment for up to three years. That’s more time than rapists serve – if they serve any time at all. In 1969, this was subject to a presidential decree which noted that abortion is only permissable if there is danger to the mother’s life.
“It’s a baby!”, “It has a soul!” Many cry.
While this argument is advocated by many, the reality is that at the early stages of pregnancy, the foetus is nothing more than a bunch of cells. At which point exactly abortion should be legal until is another question completely, and one that is better left to medical experts – not the average citizen like you and I, and certainly not our politicians that jump at the opportunity to regulate women’s bodies.
Disagreeing with abortion is not an appropriate nor safe premise for keeping it illegal; women must be given the choice.
So why can’t women abort?
Another example of a bunch of men in suits dictating what women can and can’t do with their bodies in a society where matters relating to sex, sexual health, and reproductive rights are already grave taboo.
Banning abortion does not stop abortion.
Rather, it leads to unsafe terminations of pregnancies which have serious repercussions on the womens’ physical and emotional health, which is only fuelled by the stigma surrounding women and sex in Lebanese society. Legalising abortion would be an important step in overcoming these issues.
And while illegal abortions are possible and available, not all women have access to these facilities, leaving them no choice but to engage in unhealthy and life-threatening practices and home remedies. It’s either that or bringing a child into the world that they are not equipped to care for. This is supported by the fact that these women will be shunned from hospitals upon birth if they are not married, creating a vicious cycle of relentless suffering that women are subjected to because of laws and policies that have no logical basis.
The problem? Lebanon’s laws – across the spectrum – focus on protecting the wrong person, time and time again. Rape law aims to protect society and honour, while citizenship laws focus on protecting a ridiculous political agenda that leaves many children “stateless”. Time and time again, the individual in need of protection is left vulnerable and helpless, a recurring theme within Lebanon’s tragic legal system – undermining the entire operation of the law.
The answer? Legalise abortion in Lebanon and give women the choice to make their own decisions on matters that are related to their own bodies.