Countries urge El Salvador to change repressive abortion laws
Countries urge El Salvador to change repressive abortion laws
28 October 2014
El Salvador came under pressure from nine countries at the United Nations last night to amend its repressive and out-dated abortion laws. The effects of these laws amount to institutionalized violence, torture and other forms of ill-treatment against women and girls, said Amnesty International.
A further 12 countries have raised concerns about continued discrimination against women in the country.
El Salvador was called upon at the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to reform laws that bar access to abortion in all circumstances and send women to prison for having miscarriages or clandestine abortions.
“We have seen first-hand the devastating impact these laws are having on the women and girls of El Salvador, from women dying during clandestine abortions, to others imprisoned for more than 40 years after having suffered a miscarriage. Now representatives from various countries have joined us in saying enough is enough,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.
Among the countries calling for change was Spain which earlier this year scrapped its own draft legislation that would have limited access to abortion in the country. Spain told El Salvador, that “women and girls must have access to sexual and reproduction education” and that “all women in prison for having an abortion must be freed, as well as those imprisoned for miscarriage, and that their criminal records be wiped out.”
More:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/countries-urge-el-salvador-change-repressive-abortion-laws-2014-10-28
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