Expert Controversy over New Regulation of Abortion
Berlin. The federal government’s plans to reform the law on abortion have sparked a debate among experts. While some see the draft law as a step towards the overdue modernization of the legal situation, others criticize it as a step backwards for women’s rights.
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs and Women’s Rights presented a draft bill for the “Act to Improve Access to Information on the Protection of Unborn Life and the Regulation of Abortion” on Wednesday. It provides, among other things, that women who want to have an abortion must first undergo mandatory counseling at a recognized counseling center. This should take place no earlier than twelve weeks and no later than six days before the abortion.
The counseling is intended to provide women with comprehensive information about the risks and alternatives to abortion, as well as about support options for pregnant women and parents. The counseling certificate is a prerequisite for obtaining an abortion.
In addition, the draft law provides for the establishment of a nationwide register of abortions. The data collected there is intended to serve the evaluation of the development of abortion numbers and the effectiveness of counseling.
Justifying the reform, the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs and Women’s Rights refers to the fact that the current legal situation is outdated and no longer meets the requirements of women. The mandatory counseling is intended to ensure that women make an informed decision about an abortion. The abortion register is intended to improve the data basis for decision-making in politics and society.
However, the draft law has also met with criticism. The German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG) warned that the mandatory counseling could lead to additional hurdles for women who want to have an abortion. The president of the DGGG, Ulrich Gembruch, said that the counseling requirement was “not necessary from a medical point of view” and that it would “delay access to abortion.”
The Federal Association for the Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy (Pro Familia) also criticized the draft law. The association’s chairwoman, Anne Wizorek, said that the mandatory counseling was “a slap in the face for women.” She added that the draft law “stigmatizes abortion and makes it more difficult for women to exercise their right to self-determination.”
The German Association of Women Doctors (dbw) also spoke out against the draft law. The association’s chairwoman, Christiane Wessel, said that the mandatory counseling was “a paternalistic measure that treats women as if they were incapable of making decisions about their own bodies.”
The Bundestag is expected to debate the draft law in the coming weeks. It is still unclear whether the law will be passed in its current form.
Expertenstreit über Neuregelung des Schwangerschaftsabbruchs
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