TRAGEDIES OF UNSAFE ABORTION IN INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE CASE OF ERITREA Kibrom Isaak Teklehaimanot A thesis subrnitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Laws Graduate Department of the Faculiy of Law University of Toronto @Copyright by Kibrom Isaak Teklehaimanot (2001) National Library Bibliothèque nationale l*l of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wdiingtori Street 395, rue Wellington Onawa ON KlA ON4 OüawaON K1AW Canada Cenaaa Our 6b Nom rJiYRN;. The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowhg the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfozm, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/filrn, de reproduction sur papier ou sur fonnat électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conseme la propiété du copyxight in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otheMrise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. TRAGEDIES OF UNSAFE ABORTION IN INTERNATIONAL LAW: THE CASE OF ERITREA Master of Laws (200 1) Kibrom Isaak Teklehaimanot Graduate Department of the Faculty of Law University of Toronto The high rate of matemal mortality due to unsafe abortion in developing countnes calls for great concern at national and international menas. This thesis discusses how the right of pnvacy and the right to life are interpreted under international law. Taking Eritrea as a case study, the thesis analyses the philosophical and praciical interpretation of the rights in relation to some social aspects of Entrea. Given the communal life of Eritrean society and the practice of international human rights bodies, the right to life is more pertinent than the right of pnvacy in tackling the tragedies of unsafe abortion. Despite its historical background, the right to iife has been broadly interpreted to protect women who are vulnerable to fatal unsafe abortion practices. States have a duty to reduce economic, social, legal, and other factors that force women to resort to unsafe abortion under international law. Accordingly, the central objective of the thesis is to show the indispensability of utilising the right to iife in avoiding the consequences of unsafe abortion in developing countries. 1 owe a debt of gratitude to my supervisor Professor Bernard Dickens for his effective advice and comments in shaping the structure and content of the thesis. 1 wish to extend my special thanks to Professor Rebecca Cook who provided me with material and guidelines important for my study and beyond. Thanks to Professor Brian Langille, Kaye Joachim, and Julia Hall for their administrative support and their efforts in making the graduate prograrn conducive and interesting. Their special attention to international students happened to be one of the central factors that helped me to successfully adapt the environment and complete my study. My thanks also go to Himan Kidane and her farnily, Dr. Yosief Yohannes, Yenus Hassen, Aman Ghebremeskel, Tecle Ghide, Remy Nwabueze, Ojambo Henry, and al1 my friends whose moral and material supports have been indispensable for my life in Toronto. 1 am grateful to al1 library staff particularly to Reem Bahdi, Marylin Raisch, Ted Tjaden, Shikha Sharma, and Susan Barker for their great assistance through out the year. 1 would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Musa H. Naib for his valuable advice and help before and during my study. 1 would also like to thank to Charlotte Hord (Coordinator of Ipas), who cornrnented on the first draft of my thesis and greatly helped me to effectively benefit from the internship program 1completed with Ipas. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .. ABSTRACT......................................................................................... -11 ... ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................................................ 111 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 1 CHATER ONE 'RIGHI'S' IN ABORTION DILEMMA ............................................................ 4 1.1 Dworkin's Approach .......................................................................... .5 1.2 Alternative Approaches ...................................................................... 9 CHATPER TW0 HUMAN RIGHTS IN ABORTION ............................................................ -20 2.1 Background of Human Rights ........................................................... -20 2.2 The Right of Pnvacy ....................................................................... 23 2.2.1 Philosophical Overview .............................................................. 24 2.2.2 Privacy in Case Law .................................................................. 31 2.2.3 Pnvacy in Eritrean Society ........................................................... 41 2.2.3.1 Social Organisation ............................................................ -41 2.2.3.2 Communal Interference ........................................................ 44 2.2.3.3 Communal Protection .......................................................... 47 CHAPTER THREE THE RIGHI' TO LIFE ............................................................................. -52 3.1 Status of Foetus ............................................................................. .53 3 . I .L Philosophical Status of Foetus ....................................................... 54 3.1.2 Legal Status of Foetus in International Law ...................................... -66 3.2 Scope of the Right to Life ................................................................. -74 3.2.1 Theoretical Aspect .................................................................... 74 3.2.2 Draft Materials of International Instruments ..................................... -78 3.2.3 Practical Application of the Right to Life .......................................... 81 CHAPTER FOUR OBLIGATION OF ERITREA .................................................................... -86 4.1 Loopholes of the Abortion Law ........................................................... 88 4.1.1 Termination of Pregnancy ............................................................ 88 4 .1 .2 Intention ................................................................................ 93 4.2 Grounds for Abortion ....................................................................... 95 4.2.1 Criminal Liability .................................................................... -96 4.2.2 Defences ............................................................................... -98 4.2.3 Lack of Guidelines .................................................................. 103 CONCLUSION .................................................................................... -107 The issue of women's access to safe abortion in international law involves tens of 'rights' provided in various international instrurnent~.~The thesis, however. analysed only two rights, which are predominantly raised in the issue -the right to life, and the right of privacy. The abortion discourse usually focuses on pro-choice/pro-life dichotomy and the extensive legal literature reflects such attitude. The overall philosophical and legal debates are mainly based on the assumption of the individualistic nature of social values in the Western world. In Africa where communal life prevails over individual life, the existing abortion debate seems inefficient to resolve the consequences of unsafe abortion practices. In the developed nations, any abortion policy primarily affects either the woman's right of privacy, or the right to life of a foetus. Whereas, in Africa the policy extremely concerns a given community in general as the consequences of unsafe abortion claim tens of thousands of women annual1y. Accordingl y, the thesis searches for an approach relevant to African communal Iife. It analyses the philosophical and legal basis of interpreting the two rights under international law. The first chapter discusses the appropriateness of the 'right-based' discourse in abortion dilemma. Describing the views of Dworkin and other prominent Iegal philosophers, it analyses them in light of abortion debate in general and with specific reference to African I Of the common 'rights' invoked in abortion discourses are: right to life and survival; right of privacy, liberty, and security; right to benefits of scientific progress; right to private and family life; and right to non- discrimination on grounds of sex and gender. See generally, Rebecca J. Cook & Bernard M. Dickens, Considerarionsfor Forniufating Reproductive Health hws, 2" ed.. World Health Organization, Geneva (2oow reality. The chapter argues that the right-based discourse is indispensable in legal debates on abortion. Chüpter two discuses the interpretation of the rights of pnvacy and liberty in international Law. It examines philosophical and historical development of the private/public domains in the Western world and compares them with existing social vdues of Eritrean society. The chapter shows that determining philosophical and legal boundary of private/public relationship