In an attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India announced a nation-wide lockdown in March 2020, which was implemented without providing adequate time and resources. Notably, the lockdown had an unprecedented impact on people’s ability to access safe abortion services for three broad reasons: (i) the suspension of transport, (ii) lack of adequate services for non-COVID related healthcare issues, and (iii) the legal framework of abortion. 

This report highlights disadvantages faced by pregnant persons, especially marginalised persons, during the COVID-19 pandemic and critically engages with the legal barriers on access to safe abortions.

This report contains an analysis of the various barriers to SRH services, including the overburdened and insufficient health infrastructure in India, the restrictive guidelines around telemedicine, the lack of specialised laws to tackle issues arising from the pandemic. The report highlights select instances of legal barriers to safe abortion services including legal reforms introduced during the pandemic as well as the litigation.

Dipika Jain, Anmol Diwan, Kavya Kartik, Joshika Saraf. Legal barriers to abortion access during the COVID-19 pandemic in India: One year at a glance (March 2020-21). Centre for Justice, Law and Society , Jindal Global Law School March 2021.