"Rape and Abortion Must Receive Police Approval"…Indonesia's Abortion Rights Controversy

Women's Rights Group "Not Helpful to Victims"

In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority country, there is backlash from women's rights activists following the introduction of a regulation that grants the police exclusive authority to approve abortions in cases of rape.

Protest for Women's Rights in Commemoration of Indonesian Women's Day

According to major foreign media on the 3rd (local time), the Indonesian government recently introduced a regulation requiring women to obtain a certificate issued by the police to be recognized as rape victims. In Indonesia, abortion is generally prohibited, with exceptions only for medical necessity or pregnancies resulting from rape. Previously, doctors were also authorized to issue documents approving abortions in rape cases, but this has been prohibited, centralizing all authority with the police.

Women's rights activists are demanding revisions to the new regulation, calling it a measure that restricts women's exercise of abortion rights. Olin Monteiro, an activist with the local women's rights group 'Jakarta Feminist,' said, "Generally, women still feel fear about abortion due to culture, norms, and religion, which makes them hesitant to seek help from others. The new regulation is too restrictive as it means rape victims must rely solely on the police."

If women are reluctant to undergo the process of obtaining proof of rape-related abortion from the police, cases of clandestine abortions may increase. Indonesia is known to have strict abortion regulations, and many illegal abortion procedures are reportedly performed. According to a 2018 study, approximately 1.7 million illegal abortions are performed annually.