Category Archives: Abortion

The Limits of Bans on, and Limited Access to, Abortion

Posted on May 19, 2015 by

As many know, and as may be unsurprising, Latin America in general is one of the more restrictive regions in the world when it comes to abortion and legal reproductive rights for women. Several countries, including Nicaragua and El Salvador, have … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Children's Rights, Health Issues in the Americas | 2 Comments

The Consequences of Criminalizing Abortion – Another Brazilian Case

Posted on September 18, 2014 by

We’ve covered the effects and lessons of criminalizing abortion before, be it in or Brazil, Nicaragua, El Salvador, or Chile. Sadly, Brazil,has another tragic example of the horrors that can occur when abortion is criminalized: Jandira dos Santos Cruz was … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Brazil, Gender and Sexuality, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights | 2 Comments

The Ongoing Legacies of the Pinochet Regime: 11-Year-Old Rape Victims as Mothers

Posted on July 10, 2013 by

In another episode of the impact of total bans on abortion in Latin America, an 11-year-old girl was raped by her mother’s partner repeatedly over the course of two years, finally resulting in a pregnancy that doctors say puts the life … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Augusto Pinochet, Chile, Gender and Sexuality, Women's Rights

El Salvador Refuses Basic Rights and Freedoms for Women’s Health

Posted on May 30, 2013 by

In recent weeks, the case of Beatriz has gained international attention. Beatriz is a pregnant Salvadoran woman who suffers from lupus whose baby has a lethal condition. Though the baby, which only has a brain stem, will not survive, carrying … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, El Salvador, Gender and Sexuality, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights | 1 Comment

The Consequences of Criminalizing Abortion – The Brazilian Case

Posted on May 6, 2013 by

A recent report on abortion in Brazil has revealed the impact on women’s lives and health when their reproductive freedoms are restricted. Unlike El Salvador and Nicaragua, Brazil allows abortion in the rare cases of rape, anencephaly, or when the … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Brazil, Gender and Sexuality, Legal Issues in Latin America, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights | 1 Comment

Around Latin America

Posted on April 1, 2013 by

-Brazil’s Federal Council of Medicine recently came out in favor of legalizing first-trimester abortions in Brazil, adding to the arguments and debate over the issue in a country where abortion is currently only legal in the case of rape, severe … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Around Latin America, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Educational Reforms, Elections in Latin America, Honduras, Human Rights Violations, Impunity, Indigenous Peoples, Labor in Latin America, Land Struggles & Issues, Paraguay, Peru, Police in the Americas, Police Violence, Prisoners' Rights, Protests in Latin America, The Amazon, United States, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights

Uruguay Votes to Decriminalize Abortion (With Limitations)

Posted on October 18, 2012 by

While it’s far from the complete reproductive freedoms women should have access to, Uruguay took a not-insignificant step yesterday as the Senate passed a bill allowing abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy, following the Chamber of Deputies’ approval of … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Gender and Sexuality, Uruguay, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights

Around Latin America

Posted on October 11, 2012 by

-In the wake of his re-election this past Sunday, Hugo Chávez has named Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro his new vice president. I originally suggested that, in the wake of the election, one of the big questions would be whether Chávez … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Alberto Fujimori, Argentina, Around Latin America, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Caribbean, Democracy in the Americas, Drugs and the Drug Trade in the Americas, Ecuador, Elections in Latin America, Gender and Sexuality, Guatemala, Human Rights Violations, Indigenous Peoples, Latin American Politics, Mexico, Paramilitary Groups, Peru, Protests in Latin America, The Amazon, United States, Venezuela, Women's Rights

Uruguay Moves One Step Closer to (Limited) Reproductive Freedom

Posted on September 26, 2012 by

Last night, Uruguay’s Chamber of Deputies voted 50-49 to legalize abortion, meaning the bill proceeds now to the Senate. Uruguay’s president, José Mujica, has already he said he would sign such a bill if the Senate approves it. And while … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Gender and Sexuality, Uruguay, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights

Abortion Bans in Latin America – A Human Rights Crisis and a Cautionary Tale

Posted on August 23, 2012 by

With the debate over rape and abortion in the United States continuing to rage in the wake of Todd Akin’s comments, Nicaragua provides a reminder that this is what happens when women are denied their reproductive rights: Carla lost everything … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Human Rights Issues, Nicaragua, Women's Movements & Issues, Women's Rights | 2 Comments