Pro Choice: To Be or Not To Be

I used to be a strong pro choice feminist, and that was not too long ago. The pro-life movement represented antiquated ideas, backed by right wing zealots. While working as a US correspondent for Nepal based News Front English weekly, I reported on President Bush’s program to deny funding to health programs that provide abortion. For me pro-choice was the way to go and pro-life movement was the villain standing between women and their right to make decision about their own body.

After having a baby though things have changed. I do still support abortion when a woman’s health is in jeopardy or when the pregnancy is result of rape or incest but other than that I now believe abortion should be outlawed.

In Nepal, abortion is taken so causally it will shake you to the core. In cities young girls take the extreme step as if the baby they are carrying is just an unwanted consequence of night of passion. Even doctors suggest abortion casually, if the woman is just not “interested” in having this baby, not for health reason but just because of their preference. This callousness however has failed to shake the public. Nepal’s public does not care about abortion. There is no pro life movement in Nepal; abortion is still a taboo topic.

In the villages it is whole another story. Women die because they do not have access to safe abortion services. Majority of women in the remote areas are the ones who need safe abortion because of health reasons but they can’t get one. Poverty, lack of resources forces them to try dangerous ways to get an abortion, as a result they suffer sever injury or succumb to the injury.

There is a fine line here, as you can see. Supporting abortion in Nepal could mean siding with youngsters and couples who view the act as a family planning option or families who resort to abortion to get rid of female fetus. And supporting pro life movement in Nepal could me denying poor women who need abortion because of health reasons access to safe abortion services.

I am trying to walk the fine line carefully but if and when I have to make a decision I would much rather side with pro lifers.

Nepal’s political map.

Image via Wikipedia