The Contradiction in Disability Law: Selective Abortions and Rights

While the Indian legislation on prenatal tests, the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, prohibits the use of prenatal tests for sex-selection, it permits the use of these tests to pick out foetuses with disabilities. Further, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 permits the termination of such lives. The author questions the breach of rights of persons with disabilities by studying the contradiction that exists between disability-selective abortion and disability rights. Analysing the legitimacy of an automatic decision to abort a foetus with disability, this book questions the unproblematic perception towards disability-selective abortions, but without entering the realm of a woman's right to take decisions about her body. While the Indian legislation on prenatal tests, the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, prohibits the use of prenatal tests for sex-selection, it permits the use of these tests to pick out foetuses with disabilities. Further, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 permits the termination of such lives. The author questions the breach of rights of persons with disabilities by studying the contradiction that exists between disability-selective abortion and disability rights. Analysing the legitimacy of an automatic decision to abort a foetus with disability, this book questions the unproblematic perception towards disability-selective abortions, but without entering the realm of a woman's right to take decisions about her body. While the Indian legislation on prenatal tests, the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994, prohibits the use of prenatal tests for sex-selection, it permits the use of these tests to pick out foetuses with disabilities. Further, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 permits the termination of such lives. The author questions the breach of rights of persons with disabilities by studying the contradiction that exists between disability-selective abortion and disability rights. Analysing the legitimacy of an automatic decision to abort a foetus with disability, this book questions the unproblematic perception towards disability-selective abortions, but without entering the realm of a woman's right to take decisions about her body.