Abortion in Botswana is only legal if theabortion will save the woman's life, if thepregnancy gravely endangers the woman's physical or mental health, or if it isa result of rape orincest.[1] InBotswana, abortions that meet these requirements must be performed within the first 16 weeks of pregnancy in a government hospital and must be approved by two physicians.[1]
Though women in Botswana are recognized as having some of the best access to abortions inSub-Saharan Africa because of these exceptions, many women are still resorting to unsafe abortions andself-induced abortions, commonly leading tomaternal death.[1]
In Botswana, many families still follow thelobola custom where men pay a woman's family in order to take her as a bride.[2] This is a way of thanking the parents of the wife for building and molding such a young lady.
