Cameroon
Grounds on which abortion is permitted
To save the life of the woman Yes
To preserve physical health Yes
To preserve mental health Yes*
Rape or incest Yes
Foetal impairment No
Economic or social reasons No
Available on request No
Additional requirements
An abortion must be performed by a qualified person. In the case of rape, the prosecution or the public prosecutor’s office must certify a “good case” or the materiality of the facts before the abortion can lawfully be performed.
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* The law does not specify whether health includes physical and mental health.
Government view of fertility level: Too high
Government intervention concerning fertility level: To lower
Government policy on contraceptive use: Indirect support
Percentage of currently married women using
modern contraception (aged 15-49, 1991): 16
Total fertility rate (1995-2000): 5.3
Age-specific fertility rate (per 1,000 women aged 15-19; 1995-2000): 140
Government has expressed particular concern about:
Morbidity and mortality resulting from induced abortion Yes
Complications of childbearing and childbirth Yes
Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births; 1990):
National 550
Middle Africa 950
Female life expectancy at birth (1995-2000): 56
Source: The Population Policy Data Bank maintained by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. For additional sources, see list of references.
Cameroon
Cameroon has, in effect, two official versions of its Penal Code, one in French and one in English. Although the major provisions of the two versions are identical, they differ in certain details. Under the Penal Code (sections 337-339), the performance of abortions is illegal except if proven necessary to save the mother from grave danger to her health or when the pregnancy is the result of rape. According to the French version of the Code, the abortion must be performed by a qualified person. The English version stipulates that, in the case of a threat to health, the abortion must be performed by a qualified person, and in the case of rape, by a qualified medical practitioner. In the case of rape, the French version provides that the public prosecutor’s office must certify the materiality of the facts, and the English version, that the prosecution must certify a “good case.” Anyone performing an illegal abortion is subject to one to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 to 2 million CFA francs. A woman who procures or consents to her own abortion is subject to imprisonment for fifteen days to one year and/or a fine of 5,000 to 200,000 CFA francs. Penalties applied to medical professionals who perform illegal abortions shall be doubled and they may be prohibited from carrying out their obligations or be subject to having their professional premises closed.
Law No. 80-10 of 14 July 1980 to regulate the practice of pharmacy proscribes a number of abortion-related activities. It provides that no person shall indulge in acts capable of provoking or facilitating abortion, including (a) displaying, offering, causing to be offered, selling, putting up for sale, causing to be sold, distributing or causing to be distributed in any manner whatever, any medicines and substances, intrauterine catheters and similar articles; (b) making speeches in public places or meetings; (c) selling, putting up for sale or offering even in private, displaying, posting up or distributing on highways or in public places, or distributing at home, mailing under wrapper or in an envelope whether or not sealed, or surrendering to any distribution or transport agent, books, scripts, printed matter, advertisements or notices, posters, drawings, pictures or symbols; or (d) advertising doctors’ offices or so-called offices. Violation of the Law is punishable by three months to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 to 500,000 CFA francs.
Induced abortion and its complications constitute a serious problem in Cameroon. Induced abortion is a particularly serious problem among adolescents. A national population policy was adopted by the Government in 1992 and an information and education programme on the benefits of responsible parenthood is being implemented. However, obstacles to an increase in contraceptive prevalence include pronatalist attitudes, poor communication infrastructure in some areas of the country and insufficient family planning facilities.
Source: The Population Policy Data Bank maintained by the Population Division of the Department of International Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. For additional sources, see list of references.