This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2013/feb/13/latin-america-anti-abortion-laws

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Latin America still a bastion of draconian anti-abortion laws Latin America still a bastion of draconian anti-abortion laws
(7 months later)
In 2007, a battle was won in the bitter fight to decriminalise abortion in Latin America when Mexico City passed groundbreaking legislation that allowed any woman to access abortion on request up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.In 2007, a battle was won in the bitter fight to decriminalise abortion in Latin America when Mexico City passed groundbreaking legislation that allowed any woman to access abortion on request up to 12 weeks into pregnancy.
Latin America remains a bastion of draconian anti-abortion legislation, where the termination of a pregnancy is almost universally considered a criminal act. Most countries operate an exemptions approach, where abortion is illegal but penalties are waived in a few specific circumstances. Chile, Nicaragua and El Salvador ban abortion completely, even if the pregnancy threatens the life of both the mother and the foetus.Latin America remains a bastion of draconian anti-abortion legislation, where the termination of a pregnancy is almost universally considered a criminal act. Most countries operate an exemptions approach, where abortion is illegal but penalties are waived in a few specific circumstances. Chile, Nicaragua and El Salvador ban abortion completely, even if the pregnancy threatens the life of both the mother and the foetus.
In such an environment, Mexico City's bold step was celebrated as a major victory by those wanting to increase access to safe abortions for women in Central and South America.In such an environment, Mexico City's bold step was celebrated as a major victory by those wanting to increase access to safe abortions for women in Central and South America.
"What happened in Mexico City was the result of decades of relentless work to try and reframe abortion as a public health and human right as well as a moral or religious issue," says Maria Mejia, executive director of Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (Catholics in favour of the right to decide) in Mexico City."What happened in Mexico City was the result of decades of relentless work to try and reframe abortion as a public health and human right as well as a moral or religious issue," says Maria Mejia, executive director of Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (Catholics in favour of the right to decide) in Mexico City.
"I think what was key to our success [in Mexico City] was to stick to a harm reduction strategy over decades of campaigning," she says. "Basically saying to the authorities, if you can't make this legal then at least reduce the risks for women. This emphasis on abortion as a public health issue eventually led to the opening up of a dialogue, which simply hadn't existed before.""I think what was key to our success [in Mexico City] was to stick to a harm reduction strategy over decades of campaigning," she says. "Basically saying to the authorities, if you can't make this legal then at least reduce the risks for women. This emphasis on abortion as a public health issue eventually led to the opening up of a dialogue, which simply hadn't existed before."
Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest regional rate of unsafe abortions (pdf) per capita in the world at 31 per 1,000 women, aged 15 to 44. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are about 4.2m unsafe abortions each year in Latin America and the Caribbean.Latin America and the Caribbean have the highest regional rate of unsafe abortions (pdf) per capita in the world at 31 per 1,000 women, aged 15 to 44. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are about 4.2m unsafe abortions each year in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Abortion is a major cause of maternal mortality in Latin America. The WHO, which calls unsafe abortion a "persistent, preventable pandemic", estimates that in 2008, 12% of all maternal deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean were caused by abortions. Many other women die as a result of complications stemming from unsafe abortions such as septic shock or perforation of internal organs.Abortion is a major cause of maternal mortality in Latin America. The WHO, which calls unsafe abortion a "persistent, preventable pandemic", estimates that in 2008, 12% of all maternal deaths in Latin America and the Caribbean were caused by abortions. Many other women die as a result of complications stemming from unsafe abortions such as septic shock or perforation of internal organs.
In recent years, the ground has begun to shift. In 2006, Colombia lifted an absolute ban on abortion to allow terminations in certain cases. In Argentina, a supreme court ruling in March 2012 stipulated that rape victims should not be prevented from accessing abortion. Then, in October, Uruguay became the first country in the region to partially decriminalise abortion, passing a bill that legalised abortion in the first trimester, permitting abortion within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape and allowing later abortions when a woman's health is at risk.In recent years, the ground has begun to shift. In 2006, Colombia lifted an absolute ban on abortion to allow terminations in certain cases. In Argentina, a supreme court ruling in March 2012 stipulated that rape victims should not be prevented from accessing abortion. Then, in October, Uruguay became the first country in the region to partially decriminalise abortion, passing a bill that legalised abortion in the first trimester, permitting abortion within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape and allowing later abortions when a woman's health is at risk.
"Overall, women's rights and access to abortion look very different than they did 10 years ago," says Mejia. "Abortion is finally becoming part of the public debate, something that would have been inconceivable a decade ago.""Overall, women's rights and access to abortion look very different than they did 10 years ago," says Mejia. "Abortion is finally becoming part of the public debate, something that would have been inconceivable a decade ago."
While these changes could be seen as representing a growing momentum in moves to decriminalise abortion across the continent, some say progress is still painfully slow. "What we gain in one country we have lost in another," says Carmen Barroso, western hemisphere regional director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).While these changes could be seen as representing a growing momentum in moves to decriminalise abortion across the continent, some say progress is still painfully slow. "What we gain in one country we have lost in another," says Carmen Barroso, western hemisphere regional director of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).
She points out that in Mexico the change to the law in the capital was swiftly followed by 31 Mexican states passing hardline new anti-abortion laws, which defined a fertilised egg as a person with the right to legal protection. "Any changes that are implemented are constantly attacked. We may have increased the number of people supporting us, but we have also greatly increased the number of people actively fighting us."She points out that in Mexico the change to the law in the capital was swiftly followed by 31 Mexican states passing hardline new anti-abortion laws, which defined a fertilised egg as a person with the right to legal protection. "Any changes that are implemented are constantly attacked. We may have increased the number of people supporting us, but we have also greatly increased the number of people actively fighting us."
One major stumbling block is that while the pro-choice and women's rights movements have become more adept at speaking to legislators and reframing abortion within the public health agenda, they struggle to engage health professionals with the same message.One major stumbling block is that while the pro-choice and women's rights movements have become more adept at speaking to legislators and reframing abortion within the public health agenda, they struggle to engage health professionals with the same message.
"Despite the new laws, we had whole hospitals in Mexico City saying they were refusing to offer abortions to any woman on moral grounds," says Mejia, who says 85% of gynaecologists in the city's public hospitals declared themselves conscientious objectors following the legislation."Despite the new laws, we had whole hospitals in Mexico City saying they were refusing to offer abortions to any woman on moral grounds," says Mejia, who says 85% of gynaecologists in the city's public hospitals declared themselves conscientious objectors following the legislation.
"The anti-abortion stance and attitude of many service providers is one of the strongest weapons the opposition has across the region," says Mejia. "Medical professionals have perhaps been the least involved [of all sectors] in debates and discussions around abortion, and anti-choice groups have very effectively carried out a deliberate strategy of targeting and influencing health professionals. This is a failure on our part, which is having devastating consequences for women, especially poor women, across the region.""The anti-abortion stance and attitude of many service providers is one of the strongest weapons the opposition has across the region," says Mejia. "Medical professionals have perhaps been the least involved [of all sectors] in debates and discussions around abortion, and anti-choice groups have very effectively carried out a deliberate strategy of targeting and influencing health professionals. This is a failure on our part, which is having devastating consequences for women, especially poor women, across the region."
According to research by the Guttmacher Institute, Latin American women cite fear of legal consequences, the attitude of healthcare providers and a lack of access to health services as the major barriers to accessing abortion (pdf), even if they are legally entitled to one. Judgmental attitudes among clinic and hospital staff, and delays in treatment were cited as factors in poor post-abortion services.According to research by the Guttmacher Institute, Latin American women cite fear of legal consequences, the attitude of healthcare providers and a lack of access to health services as the major barriers to accessing abortion (pdf), even if they are legally entitled to one. Judgmental attitudes among clinic and hospital staff, and delays in treatment were cited as factors in poor post-abortion services.
In 2008, I interviewed women who had suffered serious post-abortion health complications in Córdoba, Argentina's second city, who spoke of their fear of hospital staff.In 2008, I interviewed women who had suffered serious post-abortion health complications in Córdoba, Argentina's second city, who spoke of their fear of hospital staff.
Giselle Carino, director of programmes for universal access at IPPF, agrees that health providers must be part of a solution when trying to curb deaths and injuries from illegal abortions. "Health providers have in their hands the answers to these women's problems," she says. She talks of a worrying "polarisation" within the health community over abortion across the region that threatens to make conscientious objection a serious risk to all efforts to increase access to safe abortion.Giselle Carino, director of programmes for universal access at IPPF, agrees that health providers must be part of a solution when trying to curb deaths and injuries from illegal abortions. "Health providers have in their hands the answers to these women's problems," she says. She talks of a worrying "polarisation" within the health community over abortion across the region that threatens to make conscientious objection a serious risk to all efforts to increase access to safe abortion.
"We know that the women who are most at risk from unsafe abortions are poor, rural women, many of whom won't know the complex legal status of abortion, yet feel they have no option but to seek one," she says. "What we have failed to do is effectively communicate the message that women also have the right to survive. If we don't focus our efforts on getting this message heard in rural wards, in city hospitals and outreach services, then no changes to any legislation will do enough to stop women continuing to die in such great numbers.""We know that the women who are most at risk from unsafe abortions are poor, rural women, many of whom won't know the complex legal status of abortion, yet feel they have no option but to seek one," she says. "What we have failed to do is effectively communicate the message that women also have the right to survive. If we don't focus our efforts on getting this message heard in rural wards, in city hospitals and outreach services, then no changes to any legislation will do enough to stop women continuing to die in such great numbers."
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.