GRSJ224/AbortionInEasternEurope

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Abortion in Eastern Europe

  1. Introduction

Abortion is the process of killing unborn infants inside the body of the pregnant. From history to modern times, people discuss if abortion could be a choice or if it is morally right or not. Religions debates if it is right to kill infants inside pregnant body in name of women’s right, thus legalizing abortion always has been a global issue. Broadly, abortion is legal in Eastern Europe however, there are also some countries which consider abortion illegal for religious reason. As abortion has been a controversial issue among many countries in Eastern Europe, its law has been changed several times.

2. Country where Abortion is legal

  • Romania: Romanian orphans

From 1966 to 1986, Romania strictly prohibited Abortion. Romanian leader, Nicolae Ceaușescu legalized abortion on demand in 1957 after Romanian revolution. It was; however soon changed in 1966. Ceaușescu announced "decree 770" which is to ban abortion strictly. Decree 770 was processed as the part of Demographic Policy. Romanian women could not have abortion in any reason, and moreover, they were almost forced to have 4 children in each family. Many Romanian women suffered for venereal disease and sexually harassed in hospital in reason of physical examination. Romanian women were continuously observed by secret polices if they were following the rule or getting abortion illegally. Women whom did not have child or got married had to pay extra tax or be punished. Under such policy, Romanian population showed elucidates increase, but it was only instant. Romanian pennant’s death rate increased largely, and many families could not handle 4 children they were forced to have. Heavy taxation on families made them weak economically and as consequence, many children were abandoned. They were called “Romanian Orphans”. Romanian orphanage also could not take care of millions of abandoned children and in reason of that, many of Romanian orphans grew up with less care and educations. Numbers of Romanian orphans were sent outside as sexual slave. Even after Decree 770 was abolished, many Romanian suffered both economically and politically.         

  • Ukraine

Ukraine, during Soviet Union period followed the abortion law of Soviet Union. It was first legalized 1920, but banned after that the Government discovered big decline of Population in 1933.

  • Czechoslovakia

Communist Czechoslovakia allowed abortion in many reasons in 1957 such as rape or disable of maternity. But they banned Abortion after Population decreased.

  • Bulgaria

Bulgaria also legalized abortion in 1956. In 1973, its law changed and women with only one child could not get abortion except the case of incest and rape.

  • Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia legalized abortion 1952. They supported women’s right to make decision on giving birth of infants. But it was regulated in 1977 and it became harder to get abortion.

  • Albania

Albania was stricter on abortion issue compared to neighboring nations. The abortion was only allowed when women was pregnant in fatal danger. However, regulation on abortion got loosened by 1989 and, it was legalized to pregnant who got raped and under certain age. 

  • Many of communist countries in Eastern Europe

It was different by nations, but most of the communist countries which got influenced from Soviet Union, was more generous on abortion. For example, abortion was legal for women in certain conditions in Hungary. Romania also legalized Abortion until 1966, when Ceausescu banned Abortion as part of Demographic Policy. Czechoslovakia banned Abortion when population decreased. However, there is also special case, such as in Poland. Abortion was legal and it was provided in public hospital. Against that, however, there were protests of Catholic citizens and with religious reason, it became illegal.

3. Country where Abortion is illegal

  • Poland : Religious reason(Catholic)

The majority of Polish population including Government are Catholic and thus, abortion is quite strictly prohibited in Poland except the certain situation. However, its prohibition of abortion is not yet completely occurred in Poland since they are also aware of some situations that abortion is needed such as rape or maternal health issues. The Polish citizens tended to not oppose on legalization of abortion in most of times, however when Government tried to prohibit abortion in a complete way, they were opposing to it. In modern times, Abortion is not allowed to Polish citizens except for the certain reasons like rape or maternal health because of religious reason.

4. The history of abortion in eastern Europe

     Eastern Europe discussed the issue of abortion many time though many years, and what made many of Europeans to restrict or to legalize abortion is mainly connected with its moral and religious issue. However, in cases of Romania and Czechoslovakia, they treated the issue of abortion in different matters. They restricted abortion to increase the population or to stop the decrease in population of their countries. Nowadays most of Eastern European nations legalized abortion, but still the controversy on moral issue of abortion and women's rights are continuously being debated in many nations in Eastern Europe.

Citation

  1. Warsaw, Staff and agencies in. “Mass Protests in Poland against Tightening of Abortion Law.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Mar. 2018, www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/23/abortion-poland-mass-protests-against-tightening-of-law.
  2. Tietze, C, and H Lehfeldt. “Legal Abortion in Eastern Europe.” Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Apr. 1961, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12305577.
  3. Bradatan, Cristina, and Glenn Firebaugh. “History, Population Policies, and Fertility Decline in Eastern Europe.” Journal of Family History, vol. 32, no. 2, 1 Apr. 2007, pp. 179–192., doi:10.1177/0363199006297732.
  4. Michael, Tom. “THIRD of Countries Still Ban Abortion with Some Jailing Women for Miscarriages.” The Sun, The Sun, 31 May 2018, www.thesun.co.uk/news/6409621/abortion-map-third-of-world-countries-ban-illegal-jail-miscarriages/.

Jane(Hyunjung) Kim #54083134