Australia Becomes The 4th Country In 2021 To Legalize Abortion

 

     Since January 1st, 2021, four nations-- Thailand, South Korea, Argentina, and, now, Australia-- have legalized abortion. This makes 2021 the most productive year since 1986 in terms of securing abortion rights, and, with numerous other nations proposing legalization, it could be the most consequential since North Korea became the first nation to legalize abortion in 1950. 

     Abortion was gradually legalized in various Australian states beginning in 1998. In March 2021, South Australia became the last state in the nation to pass a bill legalizing abortion. State limits range from 16 weeks in the Northern Territory to 22 weeks in Queensland and no limits in the ACT. Support for abortion in Australia has continued to climb.

     This comes in the wake of unconstitutional efforts by state-level Republicans to ban or otherwise restrict women's right to choose in the United States.