Sept 28 marked the Global Day of Action to Access to Safe and Legal Abortion.

My first exposure to abortion was over 10 years ago during my late teens. An acquaintance of mine recounted her experience when she found out she was pregnant at her local general practitioner’s clinic. It so happened the staff at the clinic could give her the contact details of a doctor who could perform the abortion needed. And the only worry she had left was to raise the money for the fees, which was massive for an unemployed person then, a few hundred ringgit.

I can only imagine the fear and pressure of dealing with such an unexpected situation. But she was lucky she could access the information she needed and had social support from friends and her partner. But what about those who are much younger and simply unequipped with regards to safe sex, contraception and access to information on what to do with unwanted pregnancies?

As a contentious issue in Malaysia, abortion is often assumed to be illegal in Malaysia due to the cultural and religious taboos surrounding it. But it is important to note that the current laws in Malaysia do allow abortion in cases whereby the doctor finds that the continuation of pregnancy would put the woman’s life at greater risk whether physically or mentally as opposed to continuing with pregnancy.

The question is, when will do authorities and service providers draw the line by imposing anyone’s personal beliefs or religious stands towards the policies meant to safeguard the public?

With the easy access to information online today, you can note that there is a wide availability of uncontrolled and unsafe medications for abortion being sold without prescription. This clearly shows there is a demand for such services.

Why does the Health Ministry continue to ignore the lived realities of Malaysian women? Doctors and health practitioners nationwide should strive to make abortion services more open and accessible and not fall into the trap of taboos. This will only further lead women to be exploited by those who are profit-centred without consideration to the safety and financial strain on these women.

The notion that only irresponsible single women who practice unsafe sex seek abortion services is not true. According to a study published in May 2016 by World Health Organisation and Guttmatcher Institute, 73 percent of women who sought abortion services are married.

Accidents do happen even with the use of contraception. And for those who don’t use it, can you entirely blame them if they are just not aware of the risks involved? We only have the reluctance of parents and those who refuse to provide a comprehensive sexual education in schools to blame. There is also the societal stigma against access to contraceptives for unmarried people?

Of course, the lack of sexual education on safe sex practices does lead to unwanted pregnancies. But what we need is more than just awareness-building and education on our reproductive health particularly among youths. The option of safe abortion should also be a consideration for women experiencing unwanted pregnancies.

How long will we continue to propagate the problem by having young girls and women being married off just to avoid embarrassment or worse, drive them to dump unwanted babies out of shame and fear? In 2015 alone, the number of baby dumping incidents was recorded at 105. There are probably more that have not been reported.

Medical technology has come a long way, and the assumption that all abortion is unsafe and dangerous is untrue. With a qualified medical practitioner who is knowledgeable and responsible, one can easily undergo the procedure safely. The challenge is to ensure that all Malaysian women can legally and openly access abortion services so they will not resort to unsafe methods, which may result in further health complications.