Submission to Speaker of the National Assembly on Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Draft Bill

The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act No 92 1996 (CTOPA) and The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Act No 1 2008 were enacted to give content to women’s rights in the South African Constitution. The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) Private Members Bill introduced 20 years since the passage of our CTOPA is yet another attempt to place procedural obstacles in the way of women seeking safe and lawful terminations of pregnancy, and thus violate their rights. In particular, similar issues have been raised previously in Parliament. While we respect the rights of parliamentarians to raise issues of concern in the Legislature through Private Members Bills, we are deeply concerned when these legislative amendments reverse women’s reproductive rights and freedoms, which are a proud feature of our democracy.