The topic of abortion is back on the table, as Member of Parliament Lisa Hanna moved the motion to have the current legislation revised. Hanna says the law governing abortion has been in place since the 1800s and is significantly in need of revision. 

As it stands, the offenses against the person act of 1864 which is the current abortion legislation, prohibits abortion under any other circumstances except to save the mother’s life or to preserve her physical or mental health. 

However, Hanna is moving to have that revised by reintroducing a long-proposed report to be debated in parliament. She says an abortion policy review advisory report was later submitted, in an effort to reduce maternal mortality in the country. 

However, that too reaped no reward. She says research shows that women find illegal and dangerous means of carrying out abortions and are then dependent on the country’s health care system to rectify the damages done. 

Reporter: Velonique Bowen

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