On Wednesday, December 30, the Argentine Congress adopted by a large majority the bill legalizing the voluntary termination of pregnancy. Women will now be able to abort unconditionally up to the 14th week of pregnancy.
- The Argentinian Senate has just approved a bill legalizing unconditional abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy.
- Argentina becomes the fourth country in the American subcontinent to authorize voluntary termination of pregnancy.
A historic vote. Two years after a first rejection, the Argentine senators approved, by a large majority (38 votes against 29) the bill legalizing the voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG), triggering the jubilation of thousands of supporters of the “yes ” and feminist activists gathered in the Congress area in Buenos Aires.
38,000 women hospitalized each year after clandestine abortion
A conservative country with a strong Catholic influence, Argentina therefore became, after Cuba, Uruguay, Guyana and the province of Mexico, one of the Latin American territories to authorize unconditional abortion, until 14 weeks pregnant. Until now, and since 1921, abortion was only authorized in cases of rape or danger to the life of the mother. Each year, between 370,000 and 520,000 clandestine abortions are performed in Argentina, which leads to 38,000 being hospitalized due to complications.
After twelve hours of debate, the bill, already approved at first reading on December 11, was therefore definitively adopted at four o’clock in the morning. He was supported by the government of President Alberto Fernández, in power since December 2019.
“The law has been passed! The green tide has made this struggle and activism a reality. Today, we have taken a huge step, and every day we are a little closer to the Argentina we dream of. We are writing our destiny, we are making history”rejoiced on Twitter Elizabeth Gomez Alcorta, Argentine Minister for Women, Gender and Diversity.
Conscientious objection for physicians
However, all is not won for Argentine women. To rally the vote of the most resistant Argentine senators, the text includes the right for doctors to assert their “conscientious objection”, even if they have to direct the patient to another establishment practicing abortions. “We are going to fight so that conscientious objection is not an obstacle to women’s access to abortion. We know that the pressures of conservative sectors are very strong in certain regions and that we will have to remain attentive”says Silvia Ferreyra, national coordinator of the feminist organization Mumala (Latin American Women of the Matria), quoted by The world.
For his part, the senator member of the majority Sergio Leavy recalled during the debates in parliament that “this law does not force abortion, it does not promote abortion, it only gives it a legal framework”.
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