According to WHO, in Latin America 68,000 women die each year after practicing illegal abortions

After more than a decade fighting for the decriminalization of abortion and recent mass mobilization of feminist pro-abortion organizations, Argentina seems to be taking steps in response to this measure. President Mauricio Macri empowered deputies and senators to discuss the issue of abortion in Congress. However, he confirmed that, while respecting both positions against the argument, his position is "for life".

On Monday 26 January, the Argentine president said to have given "freedom of conscience" to their legislators to finalize the legalization of abortion in the South American nation. Therefore, it is scheduled a special meeting on March 8.

However, Mario Negri, head of interblock’s change in the Chamber of Deputies (political coalition with radical stance against abortion), said that if it is believed that "in less than 24 hours people can solve this issue [decriminalizing abortion] we would put in the line of irresponsible. "

This position could continue delaying the debate and reverse the special meeting scheduled for March 8, the day, which also held a national strike of women who gather to continue demanding the possibility of having a safe and free abortion on country.

68,000 women die because of unsafe abortions in Latin America

During an interview with the international environment NTN24, the obstetrician and specialist Mario Sebastiani said that Argentina has "six times [more] abortions in Spain", explaining that while the European country has 94,000 abortions a year in Argentina there are 600,000.

This figure specialist adds 60,000 hospitalizations are recorded annually in hospitals and medical centers because of complications during pregnancy termination. Sebastiani argues that legalizing abortion practice would not increase the number of abortions in the nation, but, on the contrary, women would ensure that the procedure is safe and is made with dignity.

According to data released by the Ministry of Health of Argentina, in 2016, 43 died women after an abortion clandestinely, 25 of these cases were women between 19 and 25 years.

According to data collected by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Latin America die each year about 68,000 women after carrying out dangerous pregnancy interruptions. In South America, there are 34 unsafe abortions per 1,000 women. The risk of dying from a botched abortion practiced is 350 per 100,000 women.

In Argentina, as in other South American countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela, abortion is allowed only when the life of the mother is compromised. Unlike countries such as El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic, where the practice of abortion is completely prohibited and even punished by imprisonment if a woman is discovered performing the procedure.

Organizations that protect the rights and equality of women in Latin America have struggled over the last decade for the dignity and protection of vulnerable communities on issues such as abortion and femicide. However, these social groups must face conservative parliaments, mostly slow or expand any changes in the penal codes.

Latin American Post | Krishna Jaramillo
Translated from " Argentina: ¿Lista para despenalizar el aborto?"