Abortion in Cape Verde has been legal upon request prior to 12 weeks gestation since 1986.^[1][2] After 12 weeks, a woman in Cape Verde can obtain a legal abortion if the pregnancy poses a risk to her physical or mental health or if the fetus is impaired.^[2] Cape Verde is one of only six countries in Africa to permit elective abortions, alongside Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa and Tunisia.

On January 23, 2017, Donald Trump reinstated the Mexico City policy, a gag order that bans funding to American NGOs who perform, promote, or mention abortion as a family planning option.^[3] Some experts project this policy will cause 6.5 million unintended pregnancies, 2.1 million unsafe abortions, and 21,700 maternal deaths.^[4]

In response to the funding shortfall this will cause, particularly for women in developing countries, Cape Verde joined seven other nations in an initiative to raise funds for women's health.^[5]