"RIGHTS OF A MOTHER AGAINST RIGHTS OF A FETUS" LEGAL APPROACH TO THE ABORTION DEBATE BY NAMUDDU FLORENCE LLB/405811133/DU A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF LAW IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF LAWS OF KAMPALA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY JULY2017 DECLARATION I do hereby declare that this work is original and has never been submitted to any other institution for a ward of any Degree or Diploma. Where the work of others has been used, reference has been made there of. Signed: ................................... Date: .............. ..................... NAMUDDU FLORENCE ( APPROVAL This is to certifY that this research work of Florence titled, "Rights ofa mother against rights ofa fetus" legal approach to the abortion debate has been submitted to the Faculty of Law with my approval as a University supervisor. Sign•hrr" ....•...• #:: .. ···-··· ..... Date ........~o/.J../!.1. ............ SUPERVISOR MRS. EMMA SSALI ii }-------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii SUPERVISOR ................................................................................................................................ ii MRS. EMMA SSALI ..................................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................... v DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... vi CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ................................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Background of the study ............................................................................................................ 1 1.3 The statement of the problem ................................................................................................... .2 1.4 Research objectives .................................................................................................................. .3 1.5 Significance of the research ..................................................................................................... ..4 1.5 Scope of the study .................................................................................................................... ..4 1.5.1 Geographical scope ............................................................................................................... ..4 1.5.2 Content scope ........................................................................................................................ ..4 1.5.3 Time scope .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.6 Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.6.1 Reliability of the instrument ................................................................................................... 6 1.6.2 Data gathering procedures ...................................................................................................... 6 1.6.3 Ethical considerations ............................................................................................................. 6 1.7 Literature Review ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.7.1 Concept of a fetus ................................................................................................................... 7 1.7.2 International law rights in the ab01iion debate ....................................................................... 9 1.7.3 The Status of the Foetus after Daigle ................................................................................... 12 1.7.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 13 CHAPTER TW0 ......................................................................................................................... 14 RIGHTS OF THE MOTHER V. RIGHTS OF THE FOETUS .............................................. 14 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 14 2.2 The conventions ....................................................................................................................... 14 2.3 Abortion and Right of fetus ..................................................................................................... 16 2.4 Fetus has right to life ............................................................................................................... 17 2.5 Legal framework on ab01iion .................................................................................................. 18 2.6 Constitutional provision on abortion ....................................................................................... 19 2.7 Abortion-related provisions in the Penal Code Act 120 .......................................................... 19 2.8 Case law on abortion ............................................................................................................... 21 2. 9 Abortion is violation of fetus's right to life ............................................................................. 21 2.10 Abortion and Right of mother. ............................................................................................... 23 2.11 Fetus does not have right to life ............................................................................................. 23 2.12 Violation of right to liberty of mother ................................................................................... 24 2.13 Right to privacy ..................................................................................................................... 24 2.14 Right to dignity and health .................................................................................................... 25 iii 2.15 The rights of the unborn child or the rights of the pregnant woman ..................................... 26 2.16 International Human Rights Standards ........................................................................ ......... .28 2.16.1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights ...................................................... ........... ........... .28 2.16.2 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ........................................................ .29 2.16.3 Convention on the Rights of the Child ............................................................................... 29 CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 31 SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF ABORTION ............................................................. 31 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................... 00.00 ••••••••••••• • ••• 00 ... 00 00 • • •••••••• • ••••••••••••• 31 3.2 Abortion ................. 00 .......... ...................... ............ ..... ....... ... ............... .. ............ .......... .. 31 3.3 Proposals for reform of the law on termination of pregnancy oooo· ··oooooooooooo oo ooooooooooo ................. 33 3.4 Implications for human rights.oo•••oooo••oooo• •oooo••oooooo oo ooooooooooooo ....... oo ... oooo ooooooooooo oo .................. ...... 34 CHAPTER FOUR .......................................................................................................................36 CONCERNS ON INDUCED ABORTION ............................................................................... 36 4.0 Introduction .......... ·······················································oo····:·· ················oo ···········oo········"···········36 4.1 Discussion .................... oo ................................................................................... oo ..................... 36 CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................................................... 40 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ......................................................................... 40 5.1 Introduction .................. ................... oooo•oo····oo ......... oooo ......., .. ....... oo ............................................ 40 5.2 Edward Abbey ..................................... ........................................ oo.oo ............. oo .... oo .... oo ............ 40 5.3 Conclusion oo·•·oo·oo· ··oo ..... oo .. oooo•·oo·•ooooooooooooooooo ......... oooo ....... oo .. oo .... oooo ........ oo .. ooo .. oo ............... oo ... oo.41