The Faroe Islands just barely passed a law letting people get abortions on request during the first twelve weeks. Parliament voted 17 to 16 to ditch their super-restrictive 1956 rules that only allowed terminations for rape, incest, health emergencies, or fetal issues. The autonomous Danish territory had one of the harshest abortion policies in Europe.
International groups have been pushing them for years to change things. A 2021 meeting with the UN pointed out that the old law was basically forcing women to either get unsafe procedures or travel elsewhere. Amnesty called the reform an important step forward.
Activists see this as just the beginning, though. They want full decriminalization down the line, with no criminal penalties for anyone seeking or providing abortion services.
International groups have been pushing them for years to change things. A 2021 meeting with the UN pointed out that the old law was basically forcing women to either get unsafe procedures or travel elsewhere. Amnesty called the reform an important step forward.
Activists see this as just the beginning, though. They want full decriminalization down the line, with no criminal penalties for anyone seeking or providing abortion services.
