Women?s organisations in the island country of Mauritius are arguing that abortion in the case of rape should be a woman?s right.

Representatives from over 20 organisations met for three days at the Media Trust in Port Louis in early October 2006. They came out with a Draft Action Plan to end Gender Violence. One of the checklists for change includes that ?Abortion be permitted in cases of rape and specified cases.?

Those on hand included the Ministries of Women, Health, Sports, Local Government, Health, Human Rights, Finance, Social Security, the Police Training School, Police Family Protection Unit, Natresa, Ombudsperson for Children, Religious Council, Media Watch Organisation-GEMSA, PILS, Noubaz, Centre de Solidarite, Chrysalide, Mouvement Civique-Baie du Tombeau, Elan, Terre Nouvelle, Comite Quartier Camp Levieux, Movement Action et Progres, CEDEM.

The story of three women found unconscious in an obscure hospital after an abortion is not an unusual one. Doctors and the women were arrested, as abortion is illegal in Mauritius.

The media does its work and covers the news extensively. Blame is placed squarely on the women, and they are sent to jail.

<B>Medicine after death</B>

It does not matter if they have to go through a second or third form of discrimination. The law says abortion is illegal and legal action is required.

They did not go for counseling before, during or after. This does not matter either, because there is nothing that says a woman going through traumatic experiences must go for counseling.

Discrimination against women is the normal course of life in Mauritius. Only once a woman has died does everyone talk about prevention. It is always a question of ?apre lamor latisann? (medicine after death). At least these three women received treatment in a public hospital and survived their ordeal.

Such incidents also present the pro-life movement with a golden opportunity to jump on the band wagon and talk about the usual blabs - knowing ones own body, taking precautions and all the rest.

What about all these young girls who are being raped nearly every day? What about the 10 year old girls giving birth to the children of their own fathers, uncles, cousins and close relatives. According to social workers, incest is increasing in Mauritius.

It would also be interesting to know how many women go for abortions in private clinics or to Reunion Island.

Let?s stop all this hypocritical discourse. Let?s stop being so moralising on the lives of hundred of babies who are giving birth to babies.

Let us show some compassion, some sympathy and some understanding for the thousands of women who have no other recourse than to go to back street abortionists.

Why don?t we take our heads out of the sand, go to all these vulnerable areas of Mauritius and see what is happening. Maybe then, we will understand the sufferings of all these young girls and their families instead of passing value judgments.

The right to abortion remains an increasingly contentious issue. We know that rape is epidemic and has life-long consequences. Rape has also become a full-fledged weapon of vengeance on young girls and their families.

Rape is not about love or even lust; it is about humiliating another human being through forced or coerced sex and sexual shame. It breaks the spirit of the rape victim. The psychological trauma is perpetual and not allowing victims recourse to abortion is unbelievable.

The Abortion Policy of South Africa permits abortion to save the life of a woman, to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, and in the case of rape and incest, foetal impairment and for economic and social reasons.

<B>Not a form of contraception</B>

The additional requirements specify that ?A legal abortion must be performed by a physician in a government hospital or other approved medical institution with the permission of the hospital superintendent. Abortion requires the approval of two independent physicians (besides the physician performing the abortion), one of whom must be a psychiatrist if abortion is sought on mental health grounds or a district surgeon if the pregnancy resulted from unlawful intercourse. One of the consenting physicians must have practised medicine for at least four years.?

The 1996 abortion law of South Africa is the most liberal in our region. The preamble of the law stresses that abortion should not be considered as a form of contraception or population control. It also makes clear that the law is firmly based on a notion of individual human rights.

?Human Rights are Women?s Rights? we hear on a daily basis. Where are our rights when abortion is concerned? And Mauritius pretends to be a model of democracy in the region?

It is now for all the above partners to turn the Action Plan into concrete realisation and make sure that both men and women have ?Human Rights? and are permitted to live freely in the paradise island of Mauritius.

<B> Loga VIRAHSAWMY</B>