The Moroccan state is failing to meet its obligations to ensure accessible, affordable and good quality sexual and reproductive health services, including abortion, forcing women and girls into dangerous situations and violating their human rights, said Amnesty International today.
No state should dictate pregnancy decisions and deny women and girls essential sexual and reproductive health services including abortion that they are entitled to under international law. Amjad Yamin, Amnesty International Medical professionals performing abortions outside the law risk losing their licenses. Providers, if subpoenaed, must also testify and disclose information about abortions they are aware of, thus compromising patient confidentiality.
"I took all kinds of herbs and anything else that you can drink to have an abortion. I bought herbs from an herbalist, drank them, and got unbearable pains and threw up. I felt that my intestines were being torn apart but I did not have an abortion. One time, I went to my room, took off my clothes and inserted a long stick into my vagina and turned it in all directions, but all I got was a big wound and unbearable pain.... For more than five months I tried everything, to no avail.
"Women in Morocco must be enabled to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights through access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information and services including modern contraceptives and safe abortion," said Saida Kouzzi, Founding Partner at Mobilising for Rights Associates Amnesty International's campaign partners.