Politicians in Sierra Leone have secretly tabled an Abortion Bill in Parliament and are working to speedily pass it into law without public consultation and debate.

The proposed law gives married women and girls the sole right to abort any pregnancy; and to decide whether they want to have a baby or not; and the number and spacing of babies. The abortion law also proposes monetary fines and 12 months imprisonment for dissenting husbands and anyone “discriminating” against the pregnancy decisions and reproductive choices of women and girls. 

In this special episode, we discuss the secret efforts of Sierra Leonean politicians to enact an Abortion Bill through Parliament without public consultation and public debate.