Abortion is still criminalized in many countries. This includes Jamaica. The Offences Against the Persons Act of 1864 states that

Every woman, being with child, who with intent to procure her own miscarriage, shall unlawfblly administer to her- self any poison or other noxious thing, or shall unlawfully use any instrument or other means whatsoever with the like in- tent; and whosoever, with intent to procure the miscarriage of any woman, whether she be or be not with child, shall unlaw- fully administer to her, or cause to be taken by her, any poison or other noxious thing, or shall unlawfblly use any instrument or other means whatsoever with the like intent, shall be guilty of felony, and, being convicted thereofl, shall be liable to be im- prisoned for life, with or without hard labour.

Despite this law, the World Health Organization reports that in Jamaica, 22,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 will have an abortion every year. In addition, an Abortion Policy Review Group in 2007 found that in the Caribbean, between 65 and 70 per cent of women will at some point in their lives have an abortion. And according to youth advocate Jae Nelson,

Between March 1 and August 31, 2005, there were 641 patients at Ward 5, which deals exclusively with abortions at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. All patients were from inner-city communities, single, and nearly half were Christians while a third were teenagers. About 40 per cent admitted to having had a previous termination of pregnancy and 30 per cent had two or more previous abortions.

To this end, earlier this year Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna introduced a motion to reintroduce the debate on abortion. It has yet to go anywhere, but hopefully a discussion will ensue.

Something must change, it is clear. Minister Hanna characterizes it as a state problem in that babies are having babies and costing government too much.

Sept. 28 is the Global Day of Action for Access to Legal and Safe Abortion. Youth Opportunities Unlimited will host a discussion on Twitter tomorrow on this topic. Please join in and share your thoughts. This is not just a matter of taxpayers’ dollars, it is a matter of access to safe and legal health care, women’s rights and dignity of one’s own body.