In July 2021, we reported that the Union of San Marino Women had been working since February 2021 to collect signatures to support a referendum they hope will lead to the legalisation of abortion. A date for the referendum has now been set for 26 September this year. The question in the referendum to be held on 26 September is as follows:
“Do you want a woman to be allowed to voluntarily terminate her pregnancy up to the 12th week of gestation, and also thereafter if there is danger to the woman’s life or if there are anomalies and malformations of the fetus that pose a serious risk to the woman’s physical or psychological health?”
Although abortion is currently completely illegal, women from San Marino who want an abortion can cross the border and have an abortion in Italy.
The principles on which the referendum question is based are: 1) allowing self-determination of the woman in the first trimester and therapeutic abortion where there is a risk to the woman’s life or her health if there are fetal anomalies after the 12th week; and 2) the grounds are identical to Italian law so as to ensure the two systems are aligned.
The referendum takes place after 18 years of unsuccessful attempts to decriminalise abortion.
SOURCE: ilposte.it, 6 September 2021
SEE ALSO: ICWRSA Newsletter, 28 July 2021