UN Special Rapporteur Report Addresses Coerced Abortion as Violence Against Mothers

A recent report by Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, has formally addressed the issue of coerced abortion. The document distinguishes between forced abortion, involving physical threats, and coerced abortion, which stems from societal pressures, economic instability, and other external factors. Alsalem characterizes motherhood as a public good that requires institutional support, urging member states to implement legal protections against both forced and coerced procedures, including those motivated by sex or disability selection.

The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has welcomed the report, describing it as an unprecedented condemnation of coerced abortion under international law. The advocacy group noted that the report challenges the perspective that abortion is exclusively a matter of bodily autonomy, arguing instead that many women are pressured into the procedure against their will. Alsalem’s recommendations include integrating the social significance of motherhood into educational curricula and public awareness campaigns to ensure women can choose to become mothers in conditions of safety and dignity.