31 October 1996
The South African National Assembly passes the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act. The law allows women to terminate pregnancies on request within the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. It also provides for abortion under specified circumstances within the thirteenth week through to the twentieth week, and under very limited circumstances beyond that point. However, despite this liberal law and a relatively high rate of contraceptive use, unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions continue to be public health and social problems in South Africa. The Act, a critical milestone for gender equality, secured all South African women (including minors) the right to make decisions about reproduction and according to their individual beliefs. Muslim and Christian organisations participated in this abortion debate making formal submissions in opposition to the Act.
References
Kalley, J. A. et al (1999). Southern African Political History: A Chronology of Key Political Events from Independence to Mid-1997, Greenwood: London, p. 552.