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March 15, 2007
Ipas applauds the Portuguese government’s effort to make safe, legal abortion available to its women.
Ipas applauds the Portuguese government’s effort to make safe, legal abortion available to its women.
Photo courtesy of Richard Lord.

Portugal’s Parliament voted on International Women’s Day to approve a bill that would reform its stringent abortion law to allow abortions up to the 10th week of pregnancy.

The Parliament’s move confirms the results of a Feb. 11 referendum, in which a majority of voters OK’d liberalizing the law. The referendum’s results were not considered binding, however, due to a low turnout of less than 50 percent of registered voters. The existing policy allows abortion only when the life or health of the mother is at risk, in cases of fetal malformation, or when the pregnancy is the result of a rape.

On March 8, the Parliament — buoyed by support from the ruling Socialists and other leftist parties — voted in favor of permitting abortions on request through much of the first trimester.

Ipas applauds the Portuguese government’s effort to make safe, legal abortion available to its women.

Charlotte Hord Smith, Ipas’s policy director, said: “We are very encouraged by the results of the referendum and parliamentary vote in Portugal. When people have the chance to consider the matter carefully, it is clear how restrictive abortion laws harm women.” 

She continued: “This new law is a tremendous step forward for Portuguese women’s health and rights, but the government’s work is not done. It must ensure that action is taken to prepare its health system to provide high-quality and accessible services to all women.”

For more information, contact:
Kirsten Sherk
Senior Associate, Media Relations
e-mail: sherkk@ipas.org
phone: 919.960.5612
fax: 919.929.0258