Access to Safe and Legal Abortion Services in Asia: Challenges and

32 of 2009 on Health allows for the provision of abortion services up to six weeks of gestation under conditions of medical emergency at early stages of pregnancy that threaten the life of the pregnant woman or the ‘foetus’; in the case of ‘foetal’ anomalies which affect its life expectancy inside the ‘womb’; and if the pregnancy is the result of rape and may cause psychological trauma to the preg. [...] RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY A review of abortion laws in the ten countries that form the subject of this study, and an comparative analysis thereof, especially in the context of colonialisation, demonstrate that the history of criminalisation of abortion is a direct result of colonial penal provisions from British, French, Dutch and Spanish laws in at least eight countries. [...] The Bill is titled “Act Decriminalising Induced Abortion to Save the Lives of Women, Girls and Persons of Diverse Gender Identities, Amending Article 3 256-259 of the Revised Penal Code.” The Bill calls for the repeal of Articles 256-259 of the RPC and immediate release of persons convicted under these provisions. [...] The most recent development in the landscape of abortion rights in the Philippines is by way of a letter by the Commission on Human Rights, Republic of Philippines to the President of the Senate of Philippines voicing its opposition to decriminalisation of abortion in the country. [...] The Commission's letter notes that it adheres to the principles of the Constitution of 4 1987 to ‘equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception.’ The National Policies on the Prevention and Management of Abortion Complications The PMAC Po l i cy of 2000 established PMAC so that women could receive quality and humane post-abortion care.