Member of Parliament for St. Andrew West Rural Juliet Cuthbert Flynn has moved a resolution, for laws regarding abortion to be amended, to facilitate safer abortions for women.

Mrs. Cuthbert Flynn, called on parliament today (Jun 5) to consider the recommendations from the 2007 Abortion Policy Review Group, which was set-up to provide guidance to allow women the right to choose.

She wants steps to be taken, to repeal sections of the Offences Against the Person Act, and substitute it with a civil law entitled Termination of Pregnancy act.

She cited a recent study that shows that forty-three percent of pregnant women at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, who had complications, had attempted abortions.

The MP reminded the house, of government’s ratification of the Beijing declaration, which requires, that steps be taken to reduce maternal mortality, by addressing issues, such as unsafe abortions.

Mrs. Cuthbert Flynn noted, that sections of Jamaica’s laws criminalize abortions, adding that government has an obligation to give women safe and affordable access to abortion services.