A petition to Parliament, seeking to change the current law to require parental notification where a person under-16 seeks an abortion, has opened up a debate about the rights of the young person and their parents/guardians/whanau.

Family Planning believes the following in relation to abortion for under-16s.

• We support the current law which allows young people to make autonomous and confidential decisions regarding their reproductive decisions, including abortion.
• We recognise the evolving capacity of the young person, while also believing doctors are empowered to use their own medical judgment regarding the competency of each patient to provide informed consent.
• We promote and encourage young people to talk to a parent, guardian or whanau regarding their reproductive decisions.
• However, we do recognise that parental involvement is not always recommended, particularly in situations of physical or emotional violence, and we trust young people to determine their own safety. 
• We promote the findings of peer-reviewed, internationally recognised and published clinical studies which have confirmed that there are no long-term medical, physical or mental risks associated with abortion. 
• We believe it sets a dangerous precedent to make an arbitrary distinction between abortion and other reproductive health decisions, like contraception, continuing a pregnancy or adoption, where no parental involvement is required.

Learn more about abortion and young people in our fact sheet.