This is a summary of a report,in French, by Gabon Media Time. As part of reforms in the Penal Code, Law No.042/2018 of 5 July 2019 in the Penal Code says that voluntary interruption of pregnancy is authorised in Gabon on thefollowing grounds: “when it has been proved that the fetus will be bornwith serious or incurable physical malformations, when the pregnancy seriouslycompromises the mother’s life, or when the conception has taken place as aresult rape or incest, or where a minor is in a state of serious distress”.The state of serious distress can be likened here to the incapacity or theimpossibility for the minor to take care of her pregnancy and the child.
The legislation insists on the therapeutic character ofthe abortion, as provided by Article 378, and must be done “within aperiod of ten weeks, by a doctor and in a hospital”.
Illegal abortion “is punishable by imprisonment ofup to two years or a fine of 1,000,000 plus, or both, and if the woman hasobtained an abortion for herself or has attempted to obtain it or has consentedto the use of any means provided or administered for this purpose”.
The article concludes: “While welcoming the will of theParliament to legalise abortion under certain conditions, the fact remains thatthe provisions of the third paragraph of Article 377, paragraph 2, create abreach of equality between minors and adult women. It grants the right toabortion to girls who are in a “state of serious distress” but not towomen.
SOURCE: Gabon Media Time, by Pharel Boukika, 5 November 2019 (en français); PHOTO: UNFPA,2 July 2018