Group urges ‘more humane approach' after woman jailed for ending pregnancy
Young women need to be provided with accurate information, protection, and access to care, says Annuar Husain Hussein of the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia. (Freepik pic)
PETALING JAYA : An association has called for a more humane approach on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), following the jailing of a 21-year-old convicted of terminating her pregnancy.
The Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia said the punitive outcome reflects systemic gaps in access to safe, legal, and non-judgmental reproductive health services, particularly for young and vulnerable individuals.
Its acting chairman, Annuar Husain Hussein, said criminalising women for reproductive choices only deepens the cycle of silence, stigma, and suffering.
'Malaysia must adopt a public health and human rights approach to sexual and reproductive health and rights, one that empowers individuals, provides accurate information, and ensures protection and access to care,' Annuar said in a statement.
He said the woman's situation also revealed multiple SRHR failures, including the lack of affordable contraceptive and family planning services, limited access to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and the absence of supportive and non-judgmental services for women facing unplanned or unwanted pregnancies.
To prevent such tragedies, Malaysia must prioritise the strengthening of CSE in schools and communities, and expand access to contraception and family planning services for young people as well as underserved populations.
The government should also ensure the availability of safe abortion services within the legal framework, and implement youth-friendly SRHR services that are confidential, respectful, and sensitive to the challenges young women face.
'In addition, there is an urgent need to tackle the stigma and cultural silence surrounding sexual and reproductive health, which often drives women to seek unsafe solutions such as purchasing pills online,' Annuar said.
On Friday, it was reported that the woman was sentenced to nine months in jail by the Ayer Keroh magistrates' court in Melaka after pleading guilty to causing the death of her child before birth.
The woman had purchased misoprostol online for RM600 to terminate her five-month pregnancy.
A health think tank has since urged the government to reform the nation's abortion laws, saying the case exposed outdated laws that criminalised women while ignoring the root causes of unplanned pregnancies.
Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy CEO Azrul Khalib said Malaysia's abortion laws were based on 19th-century provisions and did not reflect modern medical standards or the challenges faced by young, poor, or unmarried women.
While abortion is legally allowed under certain conditions, he said, stigma and poor access to services often force women to resort to unsafe methods.
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