<p><strong>New Delhi: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Europe’s San Marino, a tiny mountainous enclave inhabited by a population of around 33,000, women are handed three years’ imprisonment if they terminate a pregnancy. And those carrying out an abortion face up to six years’ jail term, according to a law in effect since 1865.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But this could change now, those fighting for an end to total ban on abortion are hoping. San Marino will hold a referendum on September 26 to overturn the over 150-year-old law, news agency Reuters reported.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">San Marino, a landlocked enclave surrounded by Italy, is one of the few countries in Europe — other than the Vatican, Malta and Andorra — where ending a pregnancy is still considered illegal. Neighbour Italy gave nod to legal abortion 43 years ago. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At a time when a US state and countries like Poland have tightened their abortion laws, the predominantly Catholic state of San Marino is set to decide if ending a pregnancy within 12 weeks should be allowed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the Reuters report, San Marino has seen very slow social progress, especially when it comes to women’s rights.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The women there could not vote until 1960, and have been holding political office only since 1974. Even divorce was not legalised until 1986.</span></p> <h3><strong>Poster War Ahead Of Referendum</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ahead of the referendum, pro-choice posters have come up on billboards across the state, according to a report by news agency AFP.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Vote 'Yes' for freedom of choice, and come out of hiding," reads one of the banners, according to the report.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We must put an end to the hypocrisy of sending women across the border (to abort),” AFP quoted Vanessa Muratori, a member of the San Marino Women's Union, as saying.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2003, her feminist association had presented a bill before San Marino's legislative council to legalise abortion, but received only two votes in favour and 16 against, Reuters reported.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pro-choice supporters are still staring at a tough fight.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A good number of the local population still favours a total ban on abortion, even if the pregnancy is a result of rape, risks the mother's life, or there are severe foetal abnormalities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The AFP report listed the messages on anti-abortion posters, one of which read: "I'm a child even at 12 weeks, save me!" </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another featured a child with Down's Syndrome: "I'm an anomaly, does that mean I have fewer rights than you?"</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A ‘Yes’ vote on Sunday will allow abortion up to the 12th week, and after that if the mother's life is in danger, or there is foetal impairment, the report said.</span></p> <p><strong>Abortion Laws In Other Countries</strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar that saw Europe's last referendum on abortion. In June this year, Gibraltar voted to ease the existing laws.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2018, Ireland legalised abortion in a referendum that made big news worldwide. It was Indian-origin 31-year-old dentist Dr Savita Halappanavar’s death in 2012 from septicemia, an infection she contracted after being denied an abortion during a miscarriage, that gave momentum to Ireland’s campaign for abortion rights.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Abortion is legal across the UK, after Northern Ireland made changes in its law.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Italy made abortion legal in 1978 for women seeking to end pregnancies in the first 90 days. It also allows for an abortion after 90 days if there is serious fetal imparment or if the pregnancy risks the mother’s life or health.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Poland has a near-total ban on abortion, which took effect in January 2021 as the country tightened the laws. It now allows abortion only in cases of rape or incest, or if the pregnancy threatens the mother’s life.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">Abortion is completely illegal in Europe’s The Vatican City.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Malta, a woman risks a jail sentence of up to three years if she terminates her pregnancy, even if it is a result of rape or it puts her health or life at risk. </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Latin America’s El Salvador, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, there is a complete ban on </span><a href="https://ift.tt/2VVJE2x style="font-weight: 400;">abortions</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">India, which already had liberal abortion laws, amended it further earlier this year, and the new Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act 2021 says abortion can be performed until 24 weeks of pregnancy.</span></li> </ul> <p><br /><br /></p>
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