A review of state of "Abortion in Sri Lanka" in contemporary discussions

Abstract

Safe abortion is a controversial discourse in contemporary society. In many countries, including Sri Lanka, induced abortions are considered criminal acts. Due to these strict laws, individuals often resort to unsafe methods for abortions, posing significant life risks. Various organizations including governmental, non-governmental, international and grassroot entities advocate for the liberalization of these stringent abortion laws to ensure safe access while stressing the importance of women’s bodily autonomy. Despite the critical nature of this issue, there are only a few studies in Sri Lanka focusing on safe abortions and abortion laws. These existing studies primarily examine the community’s perspective and are based on social and cultural determinants. However, they do not sufficiently address the role and the impact made by the abortion-related laws in Sri Lanka, which creates a significant research gap. This study intends to bridge the identified research gap in the context of safe abortion legislation in Sri Lanka. This review synthesizes previously conducted studies on abortion at both global and national levels. The main objective of this review is to explore the role of the law related to safe abortion in Sri Lanka, when accessing safe abortion, employing a feminist legal theory framework.