June 21 2012 was an exciting day for pro-choice campaigners. The WHO released its updated technical guidance on safe abortions, with recommendations for medical and surgical abortion for various stages of pregnancy. Their guidelines are based on updated evidence in epidemiology and clinical medicine, and developments in human rights laws.

According to the FAQ released with the guidelines, 47000 women die every year from unsafe abortions, and about 5 million suffer serious and permanent complications. So, it’s imminent that government and policy makers work towards legalizing safe abortions without discriminations.

However, last week sex selection presented India with a major setback in its progress. Last week, several pharmacies in Mumbai were raided as part of a crackdown on abortion pills, and several pharmacists and medical representatives have been arrested for selling the drugs without a prescription, or without the authority to do so. They’ve been booked under several sections of the Indian Penal Code for forgery and cheating (Read story in the New Indian Express).

As I pointed out in a previous blog post, not all these pills might have been used for sex-selection. A lot of women, who might not have had the society’s support to be open about their pregnancies, might have chosen to privately abort it using these over-the-counter drugs. By restricting the sales of the drug the government is driving several women to seek out unsafe methods.

Also, it is very important for the state and for people to understand that women should not die getting an unsafe abortion for sex-selection. Gender discrimination needs to be addressed through education, but these women’s lives are precious.

Unfortunately, the government’s actions in Mumbai are likely to affect the sales of abortion pills, which offer one of the safest and low-cost methods of terminating a pregnancy. For more information, read the information on our website.

Also, here are the FAQ’s from the WHO’s new guidelines, and a link to their updated technical guidance.

According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, denying a woman the right to safe abortion amounts to torture. So, let’s work as a community to understand the need to oppose any impediment, and to work towards safe abortions for all women who seek it. That is the best – and only – way forward.