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Rabat – The number of clandestine abortions in Morocco has dropped by 50%, decreasing from over 200,000 to around 100,000 since the crackdown on doctors accused of performing illegal abortions began in 2018.
The new numbers were recently cited by Professor Chafik Chraibi, president of the Moroccan association for the fight against illegal abortion, in an interview with Medias24.
Moroccan women seeking to get an illegal abortions risk a prison sentence from six months to two years, as well as the risk of an added sentence if they are having sexual relations outside of marriage.
This is especially consequential given that abortions are prohibited in Morocco in almost all cases unless they are carried by a licensed physician or surgeon – in instances in which they are necessary to save the woman’s health or life. They must be authorized by the married woman’s husband, a chief medical doctor or a chief medical officer.
In light of this, Chraibi says that many Moroccan women turn to various forms of contraception, including the morning-after-pill which is authorized to get over-the-counter. In terms of abortion, some women acquire un-authorized abortion pills from the black market. a
Desperate women turning to abortion under the country’s strict measures not only risk their health given the lack of quality control of products obtained outside of medical supervision, but also face substantial economic hardship. economic cost.
According to the activist, the cost of abortion procedures has doubled, from MAD 3,000 ($300) to MAD 6,000 ($600), in the few clinics that still carry out these surgeries. This sheds light on how strict abortion bans do not only affect women’s health, but can also exasperate economic disparities.
In fact, the restrictions on abortions disproportionately impact low-income women who cannot afford to seek medical help from private clinics or even from abroad, which are options that are open to the more privileged.
In addition to the social stigma and cultural repercussions in the case of pregnancies that occur out of wedlock, impoverished women are more likely to experience unplanned pregnancies due to lack of family planning services and suffer greater economic consequences because of it.
The discussion surrounding abortion rights in Morocco has been ongoing for decades, with experts and human rights advocates calling for a more comprehensive approach, including better access to reproductive healthcare and family planning services, to ensure the well-being of women in Morocco.
