World Publics Reject Criminal Penalties for Abortion in Nigeria and other Countries

The World Pubblics has rejected the criminal penalties for Abortion in Nigeria and other countries.

The following report has addressed the critical issues in the prosecution of those who commit Abortion where it is illegal.

18 Jun 2008 22:00 Africa/Lagos

World Publics Reject Criminal Penalties for Abortion

COLLEGE PARK, Md., June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WorldPublicOpinion.org finds that in 17 out of 18 nations polled around the world, majorities reject using criminal penalties, such as fines and imprisonment, as a means to prevent abortion.


Nations differ on whether the government should make any effort to discourage abortion. In nine nations majorities believe their government should simply leave these matters to individuals.


Seven nations favor government efforts to discourage abortions, but in only one--Indonesia--does a majority endorse their government using criminal penalties. The other six that favor government efforts are divided between minorities who favor criminal penalties and who favor only non-punitive government efforts to discourage abortion, such as education, counseling and adoption services.


In seven nations the public is at odds with their country's laws. Contrary to their public's preferences, there are criminal penalties for abortion in Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Poland and South Korea.


On average across all 18 countries, 52 percent favor leaving the matter of abortion to the individual, while 42 percent think their government should try to discourage abortions. Those who back government efforts include 18 percent who support criminal enforcement, while 23 percent favor education, counseling, and adoption services but not criminal enforcement.


"While it does appear that many people around the world are uncomfortable with abortion, few think that the government should use punitive means to try to prevent it," said Steven Kull, director of WorldPublicOpinion.org. "Clearly many governments around the world using criminal penalties to try to prevent abortions are out of step with their publics."


Interviews with 18,465 respondents were conducted in 18 countries representing 59 percent of the world's population. This includes most of the largest countries in the world--China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Russia--as well as Mexico, Britain, France, Poland, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, the Palestinian Territories, Thailand and South Korea. The survey was fielded between Jan. 10 and May 6. Margins of error range from +/-2 to 4 percent.


WorldPublicOpinion.org is a collaborative research project of research centers from around the world, managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland.


More details can be found at www.WorldPublicOpinion.org.


Source: Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland

CONTACT: Steven Kull of Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA)
at the University of Maryland, +1-202-232-7500


Web Site: www.WorldPublicOpinion.org