Sierra Leone is on the track of legalizing early abortions through the initiative of the parliament, voting unanimously in December to favor a legal abortion up until 12 week-pregnancy. President Ernest Koroma and his wife, Sia Nyama Koroma, strongly support and advocate the passage of the said bill into law.
The Economist reported that women's rights campaigners treated this legalization of early abortions as a landmark moment in Sierra Leone, as well as a model for the region. However, last January 6, Mr. Koroma unexpectedly refused giving his consent to the bill.
With this, religious leaders have been challenged over the controversial "Safe Abortion Bill," according to All Africa. The heads of the Muslim and Christian faith are also setting aside their differences to unite against the passing of said bill.
As for the parliament, they were given a chance to review the details of the bill. Public consultation schedules were also made. In addition, pro-abortion campaigners were surprised and shocked of what happened.
"We didn't even think there would be objections," Sierra Leonean NGO 50/50 member, Aisha Fofana, said.
Due to the sudden change of heart of the president, and to strengthen the decision towards finally preventing the "Safe Abortion Bill" from being enacted to law, the Sierra Leone Inter-Religious Council organized a march to Parliament that includes hundreds of pro-life leaders fall over the nation. It took place in Freetown, the country's capital, in which it aimed at protesting against the bill.
According to Pentecostal Churches Head Bishop Archibald Cole, legalizing abortion will weaken the important cultural and religious values of the country. It would also promote the culture of death as well as make individual decision and liberty more important than the moral constraint of human conscience, said Life News.
But the religious dimensions have been crucially dominated by the public health concerns of Sierra Leone. Apparently, the country has the highest maternal mortality ratio in the world and is in a continent where most abortions are dangerous mainly because of restrictive laws.
Thus, the parliamentarians chose to reiterate their backing for the bill on February 11. They returned it to Mr. Koroma unaltered as a new push to legalize early abortions in Sierra Leone. Further, he is expected to sign the bill soon.
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