Legal Definitions - forced pregnancy

Forced pregnancy is when someone becomes pregnant against their will and cannot easily get an abortion. It is a serious violation of human rights and can be considered a war crime.

• A woman is kidnapped and raped, resulting in pregnancy. She is not allowed to terminate the pregnancy and is forced to carry the child to term.
• In a conflict zone, women are rounded up and forcibly impregnated in an attempt to change the ethnic composition of the population.

These examples illustrate how forced pregnancy can be used as a tool of war or oppression. It is a form of violence that can have long-lasting physical and psychological effects on the victim.

It is important to recognize and condemn forced pregnancy as a violation of human rights and work towards ensuring that all individuals have access to safe and legal abortion care.