Amnesty International: Morocco’s abortion laws force women into dangerous situations

A new report by Amnesty International titled “My life is ruined: the need to decriminalize abortion in Morocco” asserts that Morocco’s abortion laws compel women who seek to terminate pregnancies to resort to unsafe methods. 

The report includes interviews with 33 women who say they face both health risks and the fear of incarceration for seeking clandestine abortions.  

The Moroccan Organization Against Clandestine Abortion estimates up to 800 clandestine abortions occur in Morocco every day. 

The North African kingdom forbids abortion with one exception: if the pregnancy imperils the life of the mother. 

Individuals undergoing or attempting abortion may encounter imprisonment ranging from six months to two years, in addition to fines. They could also face further imprisonment under provisions that criminalize sexual relations outside of marriage.

Morocco is reportedly in the process of making changes to its family and penal codes. Amnesty International and Moroccan NGOs have been pushing for changes that would decriminalize abortion and sex outside of marriage. But conservative Moroccans oppose both because it is against Sharia.