UK introduces bill to ban sex-selective abortions
6 Nov 2014 5:08 AM IST
A cross-party group of women MPs have now joined hands to introduce a Bill that makes it explicitly illegal for doctors to abort fetuses on grounds of gender alone.
Eleven female MPs from all three major political parties have forced the House of Commons to back a 10-minute rule Bill that aims to make it clear to doctors that it is unlawful to carry out sex-selective abortions. Recent data showed that more than 1,400 girls are ‘missing’ from the National Census records because of the selective abortion of female fetuses within certain ethnic communities.
The alarm over sex selection abortions was raised by none other than the British prime minister David Cameron who told the parliament of the ‘appalling practice’. Cameron told parliament that aborting fetuses because they are girls is ‘simply an appalling practice’ and needs to be challenged within the ethnic communities where it might be a problem, not least because it is illegal in the UK. The Bill will be introduced by a Conservative MP Fiona Bruce on Tuesday.
‘The law needs to be clarified, and women who are under pressure to terminate on the grounds of sex need to be offered alternatives,’ she said. Cameron said the Department of Health are preparing new guidance to doctors over abortions and ensure it stamps down on the practise of having male children.
Some officials say that in 2011 up to 4,500 girls may have gone ‘missing’ from the census data of England and Wales because of sex-selective abortions within certain ethnic minorities. Uppal, MP for Wolverhampton south west told the House of Commons ‘I’ve had conversations with people who’ve told me it’s going on.’
Cameron has earlier has voiced his concern on two Indian doctors getting away from being prosecuted after being caught carrying out illegal abortions based on the sex of an unborn baby. British MPs recently expressed alarm over Indian doctors unlawfully indulging in sex selective abortions and said failure to prosecute meant that Britain’s abortion laws are at risk of becoming ‘obsolete’. agencies
Eleven female MPs from all three major political parties have forced the House of Commons to back a 10-minute rule Bill that aims to make it clear to doctors that it is unlawful to carry out sex-selective abortions. Recent data showed that more than 1,400 girls are ‘missing’ from the National Census records because of the selective abortion of female fetuses within certain ethnic communities.
The alarm over sex selection abortions was raised by none other than the British prime minister David Cameron who told the parliament of the ‘appalling practice’. Cameron told parliament that aborting fetuses because they are girls is ‘simply an appalling practice’ and needs to be challenged within the ethnic communities where it might be a problem, not least because it is illegal in the UK. The Bill will be introduced by a Conservative MP Fiona Bruce on Tuesday.
‘The law needs to be clarified, and women who are under pressure to terminate on the grounds of sex need to be offered alternatives,’ she said. Cameron said the Department of Health are preparing new guidance to doctors over abortions and ensure it stamps down on the practise of having male children.
Some officials say that in 2011 up to 4,500 girls may have gone ‘missing’ from the census data of England and Wales because of sex-selective abortions within certain ethnic minorities. Uppal, MP for Wolverhampton south west told the House of Commons ‘I’ve had conversations with people who’ve told me it’s going on.’
Cameron has earlier has voiced his concern on two Indian doctors getting away from being prosecuted after being caught carrying out illegal abortions based on the sex of an unborn baby. British MPs recently expressed alarm over Indian doctors unlawfully indulging in sex selective abortions and said failure to prosecute meant that Britain’s abortion laws are at risk of becoming ‘obsolete’. agencies
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