Barriers to Abortion in the Autonomy-Based Danish Legal Model

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Law and Ethics
• Human Rights

Background:

• The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted General Comment 22 in 2016.
• This comment emphasizes states' obligations to enact legislation for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• It recognizes abortion services as integral to the right to health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore potential barriers to abortion access.
• To analyze these barriers within an autonomy-based legal model.
• To use the Danish legal model as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the Danish legal framework for abortion.
• Examination of legislative measures and their impact on access.
• Case study approach focusing on an autonomy-based model.

Main Results:

• Liberal legislation is a necessary but insufficient step towards realizing abortion access.
• Potential barriers exist even within a legal model prioritizing autonomy.
• The Danish model presents specific challenges to full realization.

Conclusions:

• Legislative measures alone do not guarantee equitable abortion access.
• Further examination of practical barriers is crucial for improving reproductive health services.
• Understanding the nuances of legal models is vital for advancing reproductive rights.