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Proposal made in Azerbaijan to criminalize sex-selective abortions

13 December 2013 10:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Mubariz Aslanov - APA. Azerbaijani Parliament plans to discuss prohibition of sex-selective abortions.

The Parliament told APA that annexes are offered to the law on “Protection of people’s health”, Criminal Code and Code of Administrative Offences.

According to annexes, sex-selective abortions will be banned in Azerbaijan, as abortion of girls has recently increased in the country and this can have a serious impact on the demographic statistics.

Member of the Parliament’s committee on legal policy and statehood Rafael Jabrayilov told APA that he strongly supports the proposal.

“I would even say we are late. Difference in sex ratio causes problems in all spheres in the society and it is difficult to prevent it. If it continues so, it will result in the shortage of girls in the country. According to the statistics of the past 2 years, 46% of newborns were girls, this figure is declining, as in most cases parents turn to sex-selective abortion, as soon as the sex of the child is known,” he said.

Jabrayilov said they plan to submit the relevant draft law to the Parliament during the next session.