The incidence of women resorting to unsafe abortion continues to rise in Nepal, an official said Saturday.

"People still hold negative attitude toward abortion and unsafe abortion continues to rise due to lack of awareness," Anand Tamang, chief of Center for Research on Environment, Health and Population Activities, a non-government organization, told reporters.

Only 23 percent health service providers knew emergency contraception measures in Nepal, Tamang revealed.

The Nepali government legalized abortion some three years ago, Tamang noted, adding, "However, a large proportion of people still do not have any idea about legal provisions relating to abortion and resort to unsafe practices."

It is high time to help rural people to take positive attitude about abortion rights, Tamang noted.

"It is also essential to create awareness among women about their reproductive rights to check the exceptionally high maternal mortality rate in Nepal," Tamang added.

Source: Xinhua