Chile is estimated to have one of the highest abortion rates in all of Latin America, but it has one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the world. Abortions are banned under all circumstances, including saving the woman’s life. Naturally, this has forced women to seek abortions outside of the law, with varying levels of safety. That’s why the Chilean safe abortion hotline was launched in 2009.
The legality of abortion in Latin America varies from country to country. The one constant almost everywhere is the inaccessibilty of a safe, legal procedure.
For all of President Barack Obama’s pledges that he stands for universal human rights, the fundamental rights of women are likely to be left off the table when he visits leaders in Latin America this week.
We are all looking for a sense of community and somewhere to belong, but I won’t belong to a church that believes that I have no rights.
On April 4, the Constitutional Court of Chile banned the free distribution of emergency contraception. The reason: the Court claims this method is “abortive,” despite unequivocal World Health Organization information to the contrary.
The Archbishop of Santiago, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz, shared his thoughts on sexual and reproductive rights in a recent interview with the most important and conservative Chilean newspaper.
Latin America has been consistently reducing its fertility rates during the past decades. Moises Russo explains how countries should take advantage of demographic momentum.
As HIV continues to spread, the search for new and effective methods of prevention continues. Male circumcision is one of the proposed strategies, and shows potential in countries where circumcision rates are low and HIV prevalence is high.
Editor's note: Today we welcome Dr. Moisés Russo, writing from Chile. He has experience in healthcare and bioethics, and will be reporting on reproductive health in South America.
Is not Chile the country in Latina America that sets an example of a working democracy after a military regime? Isn't Chile the country where the government and opposition coalitions have provided stability for the past 16 years? Perhaps it is, although we may realize today that the price for stability that Chilean parliamentarians are willing to pay is far too much: women's lives.
