The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will now legally permit abortion in cases of rape and incest for the first time.

Under a cabinet resolution, abortions will be permissible in cases where pregnancy stems from rape or incest, contingent upon the incident being reported and validated by public prosecution, and if the fetus is under 120 days old.

The new resolution states that abortion will be allowed “if the pregnancy is the result of intercourse with a female against her will, without her consent, or without adequate volition” or “if the person who caused the pregnancy is an ancestor of the woman or one of her mahram [ineligible for marriage] relatives”.

The aims of the new legislation is to safeguard women’s health and well-being, legally tackling the handling of the aftermath of these incidents and allowing abortions to be conducted without endangering the woman’s life.

Under current UAE law, abortions are only allowed when there is a risk to the mother’s life or serious abnormalities in the fetus.

The new changes to the UAE’s abortion laws includes permitting emergency abortions without requiring spousal consent.