manual: women workers' rights and gender equality - International ...
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The abortion can be performed only in hospitals, health centers, clinics, public or private<br />
maternities that have been authorized by the Ministry of Health <strong>and</strong> only by medical doctors or<br />
medical assistants or midwives who have been authorized by the same Ministry.<br />
An abortion is a serious, invasive medical operation. Each year, many Cambodian <strong>women</strong> die or<br />
are seriously injured by illegal or improper abortions. This law gives you a choice about whether to<br />
continue your pregnancy or not but more importantly it gives you protection. An abortion by<br />
someone who is not qualified <strong>and</strong> in a place which is not authorized to perform abortions may kill<br />
you.<br />
You should know that someone who performs abortion illegally can be imprisoned for between one<br />
month <strong>and</strong> one year, <strong>and</strong> if the abortion results in illness or disability of the pregnant woman, they<br />
can be imprisoned for as long as ten years. 13<br />
Abortion is a controversial issue. In some of the cases you can imagine that it will make the life of a<br />
woman less traumatic, for instance if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Another<br />
example: a man who visits a sex worker <strong>and</strong> forces her to have unsafe sex. These <strong>women</strong> have<br />
the choice of having a difficult position in society for themselves <strong>and</strong> the child or having an<br />
abortion. Especially in the case of rape or incest, it is better if the personal view of the <strong>women</strong> is<br />
respected <strong>and</strong> an abortion is possible.<br />
Men <strong>and</strong> <strong>women</strong> have their responsibilities. Making love without any preventive measure when you<br />
do not want to become pregnant is not wise. It is no solution to think that you can just have an<br />
abortion when you become pregnant. It is the responsibility of both men <strong>and</strong> <strong>women</strong> to get<br />
information about family planning <strong>and</strong> to buy <strong>and</strong> use a contraceptive to prevent an unwanted<br />
pregnancy if you are not planning to start a family.<br />
Your local health centre or the local office for Women’s <strong>and</strong> veterans’ Affairs will provide family<br />
planning <strong>and</strong> birth spacing services. If you are pregnant <strong>and</strong> choose to terminate the pregnancy,<br />
consult a doctor <strong>and</strong> ask about the nearest place which is authorized to perform abortions. All<br />
records related to the abortion must be kept confidential. If someone breaks this rule of<br />
confidentiality, they will be punished with a severe fine <strong>and</strong> the private clinic will be closed down.<br />
Related sessions <strong>and</strong> briefing notes<br />
4.15 Reproductive Health Rights<br />
4.16 Domestic Violence<br />
4.17 Rape<br />
Briefing Note 6 Rights, Laws <strong>and</strong> Rules<br />
Briefing Note 8 Health Rights <strong>and</strong> Work<br />
13 H<strong>and</strong>book on Women's Empowerment through Legal Awareness, Gender <strong>and</strong> Development for Cambodia (GAD/C),<br />
2002, Phnom Penh, Cambodia<br />
124
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