Activists challenge colonial-era abortion laws in Antigua and Barbuda

Associated Press

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua (AP) — Doctors, nurses and activists in Antigua and Barbuda are fighting a colonial-era law that largely bans abortions, igniting a debate about women’s reproductive rights on the tiny twin-island nation. A top local court ruled this month that a legal challenge launched by a doctor and a nonprofit organization will go ahead as it dismissed the government’s motion to strike the case. Supporters say that if the case prevails, it could yield a landmark decision and prompt other jurisdictions to follow suit. Abortion in Antigua and Barbuda is allowed only if a woman’s life is in danger. Laws dating from when the nation was under British colonial rule dictate that women who terminate their pregnancies under other circumstances could face up to 10 years in prison.