Legal status of human sterilization by country explained

300px|thumb|Laws regarding sterilization for contraceptive purposes around the world:

This article provides an overview of human sterilization by country. While many countries permit voluntary sterilization for contraceptive purposes, some permit it only for medical or eugenic purposes. Additional restrictions may include minimum age, parental or spousal consent.

CountryCompulsoryVoluntary for contraceptive purposes! class="unsortable"Notes
Albania since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Andorra since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effectSince 1996
Argentina[1] As of 2009
AustraliaSince 1977
Austria since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive purposes. Since 1974
BahamasAs of 2009
Bangladesh
Belarushttp://pravo.by/main.aspx?guid=3871&p0=v19302435&p2=%7BNRPA%7D35+years or at least two children
Belgium since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
BelizeAs of 2009
Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Botswana
Brazil in most cases, although both the US and Brazilian governments have carried out sterilisation of Brazilians in the 20th and 21st centuries under various rationaleshttps://www12.senado.leg.br/radio/1/conexao-senado/2022/09/06/fique-por-dentro-da-lei-sancionada-a-lei-que-facilita-acesso-a-laqueadura-e-vasectomia21+ years or <21 with two children for contraceptive purposes. Since 2022
Canada per province; sterilisations particularly of indigenous individuals performed in the 20th and 21st centuriesSince 1979
Cape VerdeAs of 2009
ChileSince 2001
China but practiced, particularly against Uyghurs
ColombiaSince 1984
ComorosAs of 2009
Costa RicaSince 1999
Côte d'IvoireAs of 2009
Croatia since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect35+ for contraceptive purposes. Since 1978
Cuba32+ years with several children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1968
Cyprus since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Czech Republic21+ years for contraceptive reasons. Since 2012
Denmark since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive reasons. Since 1976
Dominican Republic40+ years with one child, 35+ with three children, 30+ with five children or 25+ with six children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1972
Ecuador25+ years with three children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1992
El SalvadorSince 1979
Estonia since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect35+years or at least 3 children. Since 1998
Fiji
Finland since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect30+ years or <30 years and three children for contraceptive purposes. Since 1985
France since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effectSince 2001
Georgia since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effectAs of 2009
Germany since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Ghana
Greece since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Guatemala
Honduras35+ years with one child or 24–43 with three children for contraceptive purposes.
Hungary[2] 40+ years or three children
Iceland since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive purposes
India20+ (women) or 25+ (men) years for contraceptive purposes, less if couple has two children. Spousal consent and has to have had one child that is a year old
Indonesia
IranIn 2021 sterilization was prohibited except for medical purposes.[3]
Ireland since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Israel
Italy since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Japan[4] Current law since 1996. In practice, contraceptive sterilizations are performed routinely, with health reasons given as the justification.
Kenya
Kyrgyzstan[5]
Latvia since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Lesotho
Liechtenstein since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive purposes.
Lithuania[6]
Luxembourg since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
MaliAs of 2009
MalaysiaAccording to 1981 fatwa sterilization is forbidden for men and women. Temporary contraceptive methods may be permitted for health and economic reasons.[7]
Malta since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Mexico
Moldova since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effectAs of 2009
Monaco since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
MongoliaWoman must have many children
Montenegro since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
MoroccoAs of 2009
MyanmarSince 1963
NamibiaAs of 2009
Nepal
Netherlands since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger35+ years with four children for contraceptive purposes.
Nigeria
North Macedonia since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effectAs of 2009
Norway since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive purposes
Pakistan
PanamaFive children for contraceptive purposes.
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effectReproductive sterilisation of men (vasectomy) is legal in Poland, while other sterilization methods have been defined as a criminal act since 1997 and remains so, under Article 156 §1, which also covers making someone blind, deaf or mute, of the 1997 law. The original 1997 law punished contraventions with a prison sentence of one to ten years and the updated law sets a prison sentence of at least 3 years. The prison sentence is a maximum of three years if the sterilisation is involuntary, under Art. 156 §2.
Portugal since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive purposes.
Romania since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Russia35+ years or <35 with two children.
San Marino since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Singapore
Slovenia since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect35+ years for contraceptive purposes
Rwanda
Saudi Arabia
SenegalAs of 2009
Slovak RepublicAs of 2009
South Africa
South KoreaSince 1973
Spain since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
Sri Lanka
SudanSince 1990
Sweden since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect25+ years for contraceptive purposes; 18–25 for eugenic, health (women only) or sex change reasons.
Switzerland since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
TaiwanSince 1984
Tanzania
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
TunisiaSince 1973. At least four children required.
TurkeySince 1983
UgandaSince 1993
Ukraine since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
United Arab EmiratesWomen can opt for sterilisation if they have had "any medical illness that could endanger their life in future due to pregnancy".[8]
United Kingdom since 2014 when the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence came into effect
United States
UruguayAs of 2009
VenezuelaSince 1971
VietnamSince 1989
ZambiaSince 1965
ZimbabweSince 1985

Notes and References

  1. https://cdn1.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1288/2013/10/PGDA_WP_96.pdf Reproductive Health Laws Around the World
  2. Web site: Year 1997. CLIV. Hungarian law about healthcare .
  3. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/11/10/iran-population-law-violates-womens-rights Iran: Population Law Violates Women’s Rights
  4. Book: EngenderHealth . Contraceptive sterilization : global issues and trends. . 2002 . EngenderHealth . John A. Ross . 1-885063-31-8 . New York, NY . 4 . 49322541.
  5. Web site: Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on the protection of citizens' health in the Kyrgyz Republic.
  6. Web site: 2016–2017 Human Rights in Lithuania. Lithuania has not legalized voluntary surgical sterilization, as a family planning method.
  7. Web site: Reproductive rights: Malaysia. 94.
  8. Web site: Muslim. Nina. 2008-04-02. Women now able to undergo sterilisation at private hospitals. 2021-12-17. gulfnews.com. en.

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