Abortion in Seychelles

In [[Seychelles]], abortion is legal in the cases of risk to life, risk to physical or mental health, [[birth defect]]s, [[pregnancy from rape]], or mental incapacity. Abortion must be approved by three doctors or by a judge. It is only permitted in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, except in exceptional circumstances. There is only one legal abortion provider, [[Victoria Hospital, Seychelles|Victoria Hospital]]. The rate of [[illegal abortion]] is believed to be high.

Abortion was banned under French and later British rule. After the independence of Seychelles, the United Kingdom's [[Abortion Act 1967]] influenced the easing of restrictions. The country passed abortion legislation in 1981 and 1994. There have not been major movements to legalise abortion. The rates of unintended pregnancy have fallen in the 21st century. However, the rate of [[teenage pregnancy]] has remained high, motivating abortion among adolescents. In response, the government, gynaecologists, and activists have promoted [[sexual education]] about abortion for teenagers.

== Legislation == [[File:Victoria Seychelles Hospital asv2024-09 img1.jpg|thumb|alt=A hospital building|[[Victoria Hospital (Seychelles)|Victoria Hospital]] is the only legal abortion provider in the country.]] The Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1994 defines the legal grounds for abortion. Abortion is legal if the pregnancy poses a risk to the life or physical or mental health of the mother, or if it may cause [[birth defect]]s. A judge may authorise an abortion if the pregnancy was [[Pregnancy from rape|caused by rape]] or if the mother is psychologically unfit. The act sets a [[gestational limit]] of twelve weeks, unless the Director of Health Services determines that exceptional circumstances require [[late termination of pregnancy]].<ref name="Uzice" /> An abortion must be authorised by three doctors, including a specialist.<ref name="GAPD" /> These doctors may include the doctor who proposes the procedure and the gynaecologist who performs it, and the national Director of Health Services. According to legal scholars Rebecca J. Cook and Bernard M. Dickens, the requirement for approval may violate the [[right to privacy]] in the [[African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights]].{{sfn|Cook|Dickens|1983|p=21}} Minors must receive parental consent. The only legal abortion provider is [[Victoria Hospital (Seychelles)|Victoria Hospital]] on the island of [[Mahé, Seychelles|Mahé]].<ref name="GAPD">{{Cite web |date=31 July 2019 |title=Seychelles |url=https://abortion-policies.srhr.org/country/seychelles/ |access-date=16 November 2024 |website=Global Abortion Policies Database}}</ref>

== History == Under the [[History_of_Seychelles#French settlement and rule|French colonial government]], Seychelles adopted the [[French Penal Code of 1810]], banning abortion. A 1939 amendment permitted abortion only to save the mother's life.{{sfn|Ngwena|2004|p=712}} Seychelles was later [[British Seychelles|a British colony]], and it received a new penal code, inspired by that of the [[Colonial Office]], in the 1930s,{{sfn|Dickens|Cook|1979|p=426}} banning abortion in all cases.{{sfn|Cook|Dickens|1983|p=21}} The Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1981, implemented in April 1981, defined the legal grounds for abortion.{{sfnm|1a1=Cook|1a2=Dickens|1y=1983|1p=21|2a1=Cook|2a2=Dickens|2y=1988|2p=1307}} It specified that the procedure must be performed by a gynecologist at Victoria Hospital, with the approval of doctors.{{sfn|Cook|Dickens|1983|pp=18, 21}} The country implemented a law almost identical to the British [[Abortion Act 1967]], as [[Abortion in Zambia|Zambia had done]] earlier.{{sfn|Sai|2004|p=22}} The Termination of Pregnancy Act contained most of the grounds for abortion under the British law,{{sfn|Cook|Dickens|1983|p=17}} including a clause allowing [[conscientious objection to abortion]].{{sfn|Fiala|Arthur|Martzke|2025|p=93}} However, it did not include socioeconomic grounds for abortion, unlike the British law, which had required the consideration of the mother's previous children.{{sfnm|1a1=Cook|1a2=Dickens|1y=1983|1pp=17, 21|2a1=Ngwena|2y=2004|2p=715}} It set a gestational limit of sixteen weeks.{{sfn|Cook|Dickens|1983|p=83}}

When the [[Constitution of Seychelles]] was rewritten in 1992, the ruling [[Seychelles People's Progressive Front]] included a statement permitting abortion. The opposition parties rejected this, backed by the Catholic Church.{{sfn|Hatchard|1993|p=606}} Abortion remained illegal under the existing grounds, but the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1994 changed the gestational limit.{{sfn|Cook|Dickens|Bliss|1999|pp=579, 584}} Seychelles signed the [[Maputo Protocol]], which includes a right to abortion, in 2006.{{sfn|Hessini|Brookman-Amissah|Crane|2006|p=17}} ''{{ill|Imaz Press Réunion|fr}}'' wrote in 2022 that Seychelles was unlikely to legalise abortion on demand soon because the country is very religious and there are no major [[abortion rights movement]]s.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=16 June 2022 |title=Zone sud de l'océan Indien : un accès à l'avortement (dangereusement) limité |url=https://imazpress.com/actus-reunion/zone-sud-de-locean-indien-un-acces-a-lavortement-dangereusement-limite |access-date=16 November 2024 |work=Imaz Press Réunion}}</ref> After the [[Seychelles Law Commission]] was established in 2023, it was authorised to conduct legal development projects about social issues such as abortion.{{sfn|Knights|2025|p=1}}

== Prevalence == Each year from 2008 to 2003, Seychelles had between 400 and 500 legal abortions and about 1500 live births. In 2023, 13% of abortion recipients were aged 10–19, 78% were aged 20–39, and 7% were aged 40–49. The [[National Bureau of Statistics (Seychelles)|National Bureau of Statistics]] only records legal abortions but estimates that there are many [[illegal abortion]]s, which are often induced using prescription drugs.<ref name="Uzice">{{Cite news |last=Uzice |first=Alisa |editor-last=Bonnelame |editor-first=Betymie |date=17 July 2024 |title=Abortions in Seychelles: Majority recorded among 20–39 year-olds – citing financial issues, failed relationships |url=http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/20488/Abortions+in+Seychelles+Majority+recorded+among-+year-olds-+citingfinancial+issues%2C+failed+relationships |access-date=16 November 2024 |agency=[[Seychelles News Agency]]}}</ref> The estimated rate of illegal abortions increased in the 1990s and 2000s.{{sfn|Govinden|Henderson|Rizvi|Seth|2020|p=21}}

Many women in Seychelles choose to terminate pregnancies for reasons such as financial instability or relationship issues.<ref name="Uzice" /><ref name="Gappy"/> Since the 1990s, the country's fertility and pregnancy rates have fallen. Despite this, [[teenage pregnancy]] rates remained high in the 2000s.{{sfn|Govinden|Henderson|Rizvi|Seth|2020|p=21}} {{As of|2022}}, most districts of the country have increasing rates of teenage pregnancy.<ref name="Gappy" /> Minors require parental consent to receive birth control, which may contribute to the rate.<ref name="Uzice" /> Gynecologists and activists have argued that [[sexual education]] for teenagers does not adequately explain [[birth control]] options to prevent unplanned pregnancies.<ref name="Uzice" /><ref name="Gappy">{{Cite news |last=Gappy |first=Vidya |date=1 September 2022 |title=Youth voice out concerns on laws, regulations on reproductive health |url=https://www.nation.sc/articles/14869/youth-voice-out-concerns-on-laws-regulations-on-reproductive-health |access-date=16 November 2024 |work=[[Seychelles Nation]]}}</ref> The Elles Foundation works to support pregnant teenagers and to promote sexual education.<ref name="Uzice" /> In 2022, the [[Department of Social Affairs (Seychelles)|Department of Social Affairs]] said it was working to address issues such as abortion and teenage pregnancy.<ref name="Gappy" />

In August 2004, women paid about 7,000 [[Seychellois rupee]]s for an abortion, though the cost to the [[Ministry of Health (Seychelles)|Ministry of Health]] could be up to R30,000 and the procedures were often fatal, according to gynaecologist Robert Michel. Some providers of abortion pills purchased them overseas and sold them for R1,500.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=11 August 2004 |title=Abortions cost between R30,000 and life, says ministry |url=https://www.nation.sc/archive/208050/abortions-cost-between-r30000-and-life-says-ministry |access-date=16 November 2024 |work=[[Seychelles Nation]]}}</ref> The native plant ''[[Ochrosia parviflora]]'', known as {{lang|crs|bwa sousouri}}, is used to induce abortion.{{sfn|Jeffery|Rotter|2016|p=306}}

== References == {{reflist}} === Works cited === * {{Cite report |last1=Cook |first1=Rebecca J. |last2=Dickens |first2=Bernard M. |url=https://www.thecommonwealth-ilibrary.org/index.php/comsec/catalog/book/885 |title=Emerging Issues in Commonwealth Abortion Laws, 1982 |date=1 January 1983 |publisher=[[Commonwealth Secretariat]] |isbn=978-1-84859-350-3 |doi=10.14217/9781848593503-en |doi-access=free|url-access=subscription }} * {{Cite journal |last1=Cook |first1=R J |last2=Dickens |first2=B M |date=October 1988 |title=International developments in abortion laws: 1977–88. |journal=American Journal of Public Health |language=en |volume=78 |issue=10 |pages=1305–1311 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.78.10.1305 |issn=0090-0036 |pmc=1349427 |pmid=3048126}} * {{Cite journal |last1=Cook |first1=R J |last2=Dickens |first2=B M |last3=Bliss |first3=L E |date=April 1999 |title=International developments in abortion law from 1988 to 1998. |journal=American Journal of Public Health |language=en |volume=89 |issue=4 |pages=579–586 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.89.4.579 |issn=0090-0036 |pmc=1508897 |pmid=10191808}} * {{Cite journal |last=Dickens |first=Bernard M. |last2=Cook |first2=Rebecca J. |date=July 1979 |title=Development of Commonwealth Abortion Laws |journal=[[International and Comparative Law Quarterly]] |volume=28 |issue=3 |pages=424–457 |doi=10.1093/iclqaj/28.3.424 |issn=0020-5893}} * {{Cite journal |last1=Fiala |first1=Christian |last2=Arthur |first2=Joyce |last3=Martzke |first3=Amelia |date=March 2025 |title=Origin of "Conscientious Objection" in Health Care: How Care Denials Became Enshrined into Law Because of Abortion |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-law-medicine-and-ethics/article/origin-of-conscientious-objection-in-health-care-how-care-denials-became-enshrined-into-law-because-of-abortion/5C290739DA41734C2AB851141B179D5F |journal=[[Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics]] |volume=53 |issue=1 |pages=89–102 |doi=10.1017/jme.2025.46 |pmid=40340961 |issn=1073-1105|pmc=12179533 }} * {{Cite journal |last1=Govinden |first1=Philip |last2=Henderson |first2=Juliette |last3=Rizvi |first3=Zia |last4=Seth |first4=Valentina |last5=Shamlaye |first5=Heather |date=1 December 2020 |title=Maternal and child health in Seychelles |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0161813X20301455 |journal=NeuroToxicology |volume=81 |pages=238–245 |doi=10.1016/j.neuro.2020.09.011 |pmid=33741109 |bibcode=2020NeuTx..81..238G |issn=0161-813X|url-access=subscription }} * {{Cite journal |last=Hatchard |first=John |date=December 1993 |title=Re-Establishing a Multi-Party State: Some Constitutional Lessons from the Seychelles |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/161293 |journal=The Journal of Modern African Studies |volume=31 |issue=4 |pages=608 |doi=10.1017/S0022278X0001226X |jstor=161293 |issn=0022-278X}} * {{Cite journal |last1=Hessini |first1=Leila |last2=Brookman-Amissah |first2=Eunice |author-link2=Eunice Brookman-Amissah |last3=Crane |first3=Barbara B. |year=2006 |title=Global Policy Change and Women's Access to Safe Abortion: The Impact of the World Health Organization's Guidance in Africa / Modification de la politique mondiale et l'accès par la femme à l'avortement sans dange: L'impact de conseil de l'Organisatioon mondiale de la santé en Afrique |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30032468 |journal=African Journal of Reproductive Health / La Revue Africaine de la Santé Reproductive |volume=10 |issue=3 |pages=14–27 |doi=10.2307/30032468 |jstor=30032468 |issn=1118-4841|url-access=subscription |doi-access=free }} * {{Cite journal |last1=Jeffery |first1=Laura |last2=Rotter |first2=Rebecca |date=June 2016 |title=Sustenance, nourishment, and cultivation: plants as living cultural heritage for dispersed Chagossians in Mauritius, Seychelles, and the UK: Sustenance, nourishment, and cultivation |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9655.12402 |journal=Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute |language=en |volume=22 |issue=2 |pages=296–313 |doi=10.1111/1467-9655.12402|doi-access=free }} * {{Cite journal |last=Knights |first=Stefan |date=12 February 2025 |title=Origins of the Seychelles Law Commission: A Progressive but Bumpy Road |url=https://academic.oup.com/slr/article/doi/10.1093/slr/hmaf011/8101310 |journal=Statute Law Review |language=en |volume=46 |issue=1 |article-number=hmaf011 |doi=10.1093/slr/hmaf011 |issn=0144-3593|url-access=subscription }} * {{Cite journal |last=Ngwena |first=Charles |date=Winter 2004 |title=An Appraisal of Abortion Laws in Southern Africa from a Reproductive Health Rights Perspective |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1073110500011748/type/journal_article |journal=Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=708–717 |doi=10.1111/j.1748-720X.2004.tb01976.x |issn=1073-1105|url-access=subscription }} * {{Cite journal |last=Sai |first=Fred |date=April 2004 |title=International Commitments and Guidance on Unsafe Abortion 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[[Category:Abortion in Africa|Seychelles]] [[Category:Abortion by country|Seychelles]] [[Category:Health in Seychelles]] [[Category:Women's rights in Seychelles]]