Major amendments have been made to laws surrounding abortion in the United Arab Emirates.
In a new report by the The National, as of October 2023, women in the UAE will no longer need their husband’s consent to get an emergency abortion. The new law permits women to end their pregnancy provided they obtain a medical report indicating that there is a risk to the mother’s or the unborn child’s life.
Abortion law amendments in the UAE
Previously, a woman could only obtain an abortion with her spouse’s approval if the unborn child had serious health issues. Abortions were only permitted if the foetus was less than 120 days old.
The National reports the new law permits abortions to be performed in private, licensed institutions in the UAE. The termination of pregnancy is only legal if the mother’s life is in danger during the pregnancy. As well as if the unborn child has serious health conditions, resulting in difficulties for it to lead a normal life.
However, this is the only instance where a pregnancy termination would be permitted. Under UAE law, abortion of willful means by a pregnant woman will result in imprisonment and/or a large fine.
Other recent law changes
The new law is part of a series of local and federal laws designed to uphold women’s rights across the nation. In the UAE, unmarried couples can now undergo IVF treatments and egg freezing and surrogacy have also been legalised as part of this legislation.
Unmarried non-Muslim couples can now seek IVF treatment if they consent to have the child registered under both of their names, they can apply for the procedure. If a Muslim couple wants to use IVF, they have to show proof of their marriage.
Additionally, it is no longer illegal for couples to use a surrogate for another woman to carry their child.
