BURUNDI-ABORTION-TBs-CCPR

Concluding Observations on Report 3 (2023) (Link)

Voluntary termination of pregnancy and women’s sexual and reproductive health

18. The Committee is concerned by the criminalization of abortion under article 533 of the Criminal Code and the extremely restrictive conditions, laid down in article 534, for women to legally undergo a voluntary termination of pregnancy, namely, when they are at risk of death or serious permanent damage to their health, which lead women to seek unsafe clandestine abortions in conditions that endanger their life and health. It is also concerned by reports that many women who sought such an abortion were criminally prosecuted and sentenced to prison (arts. 3, 6, 7, 17 and 26).

19. Bearing in mind paragraph 8 of the Committee’s general comment No. 36 (2018) on the right to life, the State party should:

(a) Amend its legislation to guarantee safe, legal and effective access to abortion where carrying a pregnancy to term would cause the pregnant woman or girl substantial pain or suffering, most notably where the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or where the pregnancy is not viable;

(b) Modify the restrictive conditions for access to abortion when the pregnant woman or girl’s life or health is at risk;

(c) Ensure that women and girls who undergo an abortion, as well as the doctors who help them, do not face criminal charges, for this compels women and girls to seek unsafe abortions;

(d) Implement awareness-raising policies to end the stigmatization of women and girls who undergo abortions;

(e) Guarantee that the population, especially girls and boys, has access to good quality education on sexual and reproductive health and related rights and to a wide range of affordable contraception.

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Concluding Observations on Report 2 (2014) (Link)

[no mention]

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Concluding Observations on Report 1 (1992) (Link)

[no mention]

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