Argentina became the first major country in Latin America to legalize abortion when the Senate voted early on Wednesday to allow it through the 14th week of pregnancy, in the face of opposition from the influential Catholic Church. The ruling could set the tone for a wider shift in conservative Latin America where there are growing calls for greater reproductive rights for women. "Adopting a law that legalizes abortion in a Catholic country as big as Argentina will energize the struggle to ensure women’s rights in Latin America," said Juan Pappier, a senior Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch. Until now, Argentine law has only allowed abortion when there is a serious risk to the health of the mother or in cases of rape. Pro-choice groups argue that criminalising abortion harms women from the most vulnerable groups who they say are instead often forced to seek dangerous illegal abortions.

Source: dna December 30, 2020 08:03 UTC