Bridgewater, NJ [November 26, 2019] – Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) is releasing a new report (it's fifth) in the State of the Panth series dedicated to the issue of abortion, exploring Sikh views worldwide as well as a Gurmat perspective.

Titled Sikhi & Abortion, the new report defines and traces the history of the divisive issue in the context of a Sikh worldview, supporting its statements by Bani (wisdom), Tavarikh (history), and Rahit (lifestyle).

With the laws on abortions changing quickly in the U.S. and other countries, the issue is more relevant than ever. We felt obligated to take a stand by looking for answers in the wisdom of Sikhi as well as surveying over a thousand self-identifying Sikhs worldwide for a better understanding of our collective view today.

— Dr. Pritpal Singh, SikhRI Board Member

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A thorough global survey of 1,277 self-identified Sikhs from 28 countries was conducted to uncover what informs their opinions, thoughts, and feelings with relation to abortions. The responses demonstrated how closely defined sex-selection and abortion are in the Panjabi and South Asian contexts. The majority of respondents also indicated they believe life begins sometime after conception, thus going against the position of Gurmat.

The legalities of abortion as we see it today are focused differently — the reason there is not much information on abortion historically … is because sex-selection was a much bigger problem in the context of Sikhs in South Asia, and still is.

— Sikhi & Abortion, p.14

The report is concluded with a list of recommendations, both on the individual and institutional levels, offering suggestions and potential solutions for proper education around the issue of abortions from the perspective of Sikhi.

The Sikhi & Abortion report is available for a free download today from here. For academics and rigorous readers, all the raw data from the survey is included as a separate document.

Raw Data

If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions regarding the report or the State of the Panth series overall, please contact Jasleen Kaur at jasleen.kaur@sikhri.org.

About State of the Panth

The State of the Panth series is a report on Sikh matters presented by the Sikh Research Institute to the global Sikh community. The series reports on matters affecting either a large section of the Sikh Nation or a perspective on critical issues facing the human race at large. It surveys the self-identified Sikhs on their stances. It outlines a Sikh perspective based on Gurmat (the Guru’s Way) traditions of Bani (wisdom), Tavarikh (history), and Rahit (lifestyle). It outlines recommendations for the individual Sikhs and Sikh institutions in best practice approach to strengthen the bonds within the community.

About Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI)

The Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a mission to connect people with the teachings of Sikhi, and make them accessible and easy to digest, for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. By offering courses and seminars in a variety of mediums, SikhRI serves to strengthen the bonds of the Sikh community around the world.

www.sikhri.org

Read Other State of the Panth Reports: