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Karachi: Difference between revisions
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===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ===Laws & Social Stigmas=== | ||
In Pakistan, abortion is only legal under two circumstances. The first reason is when the woman's life is endangered by the pregnancy. The second reason is “necessary treatment” early in the pregnancy, which may be interpreted as when termination of the pregnancy would preserve the phyicial or mental health of the woman. However, in all other circumstances, including when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, when there is risk of fetal impairment, social or economic reasons or availability upon request, are not permitted. According to the Guttmacher Institute, "Given a lack of clarity in interpreting the law, legal abortion services are difficult to obtain, and most women who have an abortion resort to clandestine and unsafe procedures."<ref>[https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/unintended-pregnancy-and-induced-abortion-pakistan Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion In Pakistan]</ref> | |||
Regarding punishment, according to a UN report, "On the one hand, the law retains features of the old law. Penalties for the crime are still dependent upon which of two stages of development the pregnancy has reached and on whether the woman consents or not. In some cases, they also include imprisonment, now denominated a ta’zir penalty. On the other hand, the law defines the stages of pregnancy in terms of the formation of organs or limbs according to Islamic law principles and it introduces the distinctive Islamic law penalty of compensation or diyah in the case of late-term pregnancies. Finally, the new law is somewhat ambiguous: there is no clear demarcation of the two stages of pregnancy or definition of what constitutes “necessary treatment”. Indeed, the law has been criticized for just this reason."<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm UN Report: Pakistani Abortion Law]</ref> | |||
Pakistani law does impose penalties on abortions (typically, prison time, which varies depending on the length of the pregnancy at the time of the abortion). However, abortion -- particularly, underground and clandestine abortions -- continue to be performed in Pakistan each year. In 2012, there were an estimated 2.25 million induced abortions in Pakistan. Furthermore, "an estimated 623,000 Pakistani women were treated for complications resulting from induced abortions, the vast majority of which were performed by unqualified providers or involved traditional methods."<ref>[https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/unintended-pregnancy-and-induced-abortion-pakistan Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion In Pakistan]</ref> For these reasons, it is critical that, if you are seeking out abortion services, that you find a safe and experienced providers. | |||
===What to Get & Where to Get It=== | ===What to Get & Where to Get It=== | ||
* If you're considering an abortion, it's recommended that you contact [http://mariestopespk.org/ Marie Stopes Pakistan], Phone:(92-21) 111-538-538) or [http://asap-asia.org/ ASAP Asia] - Phone: 0307-4940707 (Urdu, Punjabi), 0315-9473399 (Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi), 0315-9473399 (Urdu, Sindhi), 033 – 60231416 (Siraiki) for details. They can help advise you about local resources and what the best options may be for you. | |||
* You can potentially get the "abortion pill" by mail. Check out [https://www.womenonweb.org/en/i-need-an-abortion this link] for details. | |||
* If you are considering leaving the country to obtain a legal abortion, you can legal abortions in [[Turkey]], [[Bangladesh]], [[India]], [[China]] and [[Vietnam]]. | |||
===Costs=== | ===Costs=== | ||
If you are pregnant and considering getting an abortion outside Pakistan, you will need to consider the following costs: transportation to the country where you will be obtaining an abortion, hotel or accommodation costs in that country, cost of the abortion in the country and the total amount of days you may need to be in the country both before and after the abortion. | |||
==Advocacy & Counseling== | ==Advocacy & Counseling== | ||
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* [http://www.aahung.org/ Auhung]: "Established in 1994, Aahung is a Karachi-based NGO which aims to improve the Reproductive Health (RH) of men, women, and adolescents across Pakistan. The Aahung team works towards enhancing the scope and improving the quality of services that uphold health and rights, while advocating for an enabling environment where every individual’s health and rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled as an inalienable human right." | * [http://www.aahung.org/ Auhung]: "Established in 1994, Aahung is a Karachi-based NGO which aims to improve the Reproductive Health (RH) of men, women, and adolescents across Pakistan. The Aahung team works towards enhancing the scope and improving the quality of services that uphold health and rights, while advocating for an enabling environment where every individual’s health and rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled as an inalienable human right." | ||
* [http://www.t2f.biz/ T2F]: "Coffeehouse tradition is all about sparking conversations and we are passionate about providing a platform for people to engage with each other. A community space for open dialogue, T2F features a café and bookshop and hosts poetry readings, meetups with writers, talks, debates, theatre performances, film screenings, open mic nights, jam sessions, and standup comedy." Address: 10-C, Sunset Lane 5, Phase 2 Extension, DHA, Karachi-75500. Phones: +(92-21) 3538-9033 and +(92-21) 3538-9043. E-mail: info@peaceniche.org. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||