Table of contents
Declaration .......................................................................................................... ii
Approval ............................................................................................................. iii
Dedication ........................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgement ............................................................................................... v
Table of contents ................................................................................................. vi
List of abbreviations ............................................................................................. ix
Abstract .............................................................................................................. x
CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY .......................................................... · ................. 1
1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background to the study ................................................................................ 2
1.2 Problem statement ......................................................................................... 4
1.4 Purpose of the study ....................................................................................... 5
1.5 Study objectives ............................................................................................. 5
1.6 Research questions ........................................................................................ 5
1.7 Scope ............................................................................................................ 5
1.8 Significance ................................................................................................... 6
1.9 Literature review ............................................................................................ 6
1.0 Methodology .................................................................................................. 8
CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................... 9
LEGAL REGIME ON ABORTION IN UGANDA ........................................................... 9
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Brief History of Abortion Law in Uganda .......................................................... 9
vi
2.2 The Constitution .......................................................................................... 10
2.3 Statutory framework on abortion .................................................................. 12
2.4 National Policy Guidelines ............................................................................. 15
2.5 Abortion and international law ...................................................................... 17
2.5.1 International law obligations at the regional level ........................................ 18
2.5.2 Uganda's obligations under the UN system ................................................. 19
CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................... 21
TRENDS IN THE ENFORCEMENT ................. OF LAWS CRIMINALISING ABORTION IN
UGANDA ................................................................................................................... 21
3.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 21
3.1 Trends in the arrests of women, girls and health workers under abortion laws. 21
3.1.1 Number of arrests ..................................................................................... 21
3.1.2 Social economic status of persons arrested ................................................. 24
3.1.3 Community perspectives about abortion and motivation for reporting or not. 24
CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................. 26
THE IMPACT OF CRIMINAL ABORTION LAWS ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF
WOMEN, GIRLS AND HEALTH WORKERS ......................................................... 26
4.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 26
4.1 Human rights violations occasioned by these laws .......................................... 26
4.1.1 Rights of women ....................................................................................... 26
4.1.2 Violation of the rights of health workers ..................................................... 33
CHAPTER FIVE .................................................................................................. 35
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................ 35
Abstract
Abortion is criminalised under the laws of Uganda, with only one vague and limited exception. Uganda's abortion laws and policies are confusing and their parameters remain contested among health service providers, law enforcement officers, judges, and women and girls. Despite the fact that the uncertainty of the legal position risks misapplication of the law, abortion laws are actively enforced. Women and girls, and health workers are left vulnerable to law enforcement personnel and face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment. Women and girls are also denied legal abortions and resort to unsafe means of terminating unwanted pregnancies. As a result, unsafe abortion contributes to an already high rate of maternal mortality in Uganda. The study set out to examine the trends of enforcement of Uganda's criminal abortion laws, and the particular impact that this enforcement has on the human rights of the healthcare providers, women and girls who are harassed, intimidated, arrested, convicted or imprisoned and those who are affected by the law. The study also makes recommendations aimed at promoting a progressive change in legal and societal attitudes towards abortion in order to protect the rights of women and health providers. The study revealed that abortion laws are being implemented at the national level as well as in the two study districts, though the numbers of arrests are very low compared to the estimated number of abortions carried out in Uganda every year. Nationally, at least 182 arrests were made on abortion-related charges during the four year period (2011-2014). At least 4 persons were arrested in Kampala in each of the five study years. In Kitgum, a total of 18 abortion-related arrests took place over the whole of the study period. Data from both of these two districts suggest that there was not much difference in the number of people arrested in each of the five years. National data, on the other hand, indicates a steady increment in the number of arrests over the course of the study period. The study revealed a much higher rate of reporting and arresting in Kitgum as compared to Kampala, proportional to the populations of each of these two districts. This finding suggests that urbanisation influences the measure of secrecy with which an abortion can be carried out and that someone living in a small, close-knit community is more likely to be outed to the public
