Human Rights Implications of Abortion in Sri Lanka and the Legalization Debate

Abstract

Against the backdrop of Sri Lanka's restrictive abortion laws, this study scrutinizes the intricate interplay between women's rights, health outcomes, and legal considerations during the post pandemic era Sri Lanka's current abortion laws, which generally criminalize the procedure except when a woman's life is at risk, have stirred substantial debate on their compatibility with international human rights standards. This seeks to analyze the human rights implications of Sri Lanka's restrictive abortion laws on women's health and autonomy and examine the societal, cultural, and religious factors influencing the abortion legalization debate, assess the potential disparities in access to safe abortion services across different segments of society. This sheds light on the potential violations of women's human rights resulting from restrictive abortion laws. This research is done on the based on both qualitative and quantitative data and reports, journals, articles, government data bases are used as secondary data. The study reveals that restrictive abortion laws in Sri Lanka can lead to unsafe and clandestine abortions, risking women's health and lives. The laws infringe upon women's autonomy and privacy, violating fundamental human rights principles. Societal disparities compound these issues, disproportionately affecting marginalized women. The cultural and religious contexts deeply influence public perceptions and policy debates surrounding abortion. Research highlights Sri Lankan abortion complex interplay between human rights, cultural values, and legal regulations. It emphasizes the urgent reform needed for women's health, autonomy, and societal concerns. It is suggested that the abortion laws in Sri Lanka should be re-evaluated, the public should be informed about this, proper education should be provided, and the community discourse on reproductive health and rights should be expanded.