In Historic Senate Vote Argentina Legalizes Abortion

Last updated on January 4th, 2021 at 05:48 am

Argentina Legalizes Abortion: Argentina’s Senate cast a ballot early Wednesday to sanction elective abortion, denoting a noteworthy move in the vigorously Catholic nation that is the homeland of Pope Francis. 

Following a discussion that worked out in a good way past noon, the Senate passed the bill 38-29 with one abstention a little more than about fourteen days after the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Argentina’s Congress barely affirmed the measure. 

Argentina’s Ministry of Health has stated that in 2018, 35 ladies died due to complications emerging from having an illegal abortion. Two years sooner, as per Human Rights Watch, the organization additionally announced that more than 39,000 women and young girls were hospitalized because of issues from miscarriage and abortion.

The historic decision comes after years of protest by the Argentine abortion-rights movement.

“It’s a law!” Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta, minister of women, genders, and diversity, composed on Wednesday morning following the vote. “Today we made an immense stride and we are drawing nearer to Argentina we long for. We are composing our destiny, we are leaving a mark on the world.” 

The Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy Bill allows abortion to take place during the initial 14 weeks of pregnancy. Presently, abortion is illegal in Argentina if the mother’s life is in danger or if the pregnancy is a result of rape. If women tried to get an abortion they could face criminal charges.

Argentine President Alberto Fernández at first proposed the enactment in mid-November. Fernández, who came to power in 2019, has been vocal about legitimizing abortion during his administration and states he will sign the proposal. 

The results of Argentina’s vote are huge given the nation’s overwhelmingly Roman Catholic populace. Pope Francis, who was brought into the world in Buenos Aires, has recently voiced his resistance to the enactment.

Argentina joins Latin American and Caribbean nations that have legitimized abortion, including Cuba, Uruguay, and Guyana. A critical lion’s share of nations in the locale limit access except if the mother’s life is compromised, and a few nations ban it. 

Argentina has verged on legitimizing abortion before. In 2018, the enactment failed in the Senate by seven votes — the nation was then driven by President Mauricio Macri, who didn’t effectively uphold the measure. 

The supporters were wearing green till the Senate and lower house votes continued. The ones who contradict the enactment wore blue in protest.