On the 30th of December, Argentina became the first major country in Latin America to legalise abortion with its Senate voting to allow abortion up to and through the 14th week of pregnancy.
The contentious vote passed with 38 in favor and 29 against with one abstention. The Bill was approved by Argentina’s lower house earlier in the month. Argentina is only the third country in South American to introduce abortion on demand, alongside Uruguay and Guyana.
The crowds outside the Senate building in Buenos Aires reminiscent of the crowds at Dublin Castle in May 2018 cheering and celebrating the ending of unborn children’s lives.
Earlier this year thousands joined in pro-life demonstrations, in Argentina in opposition to a bill that would legalise abortion on demand. Argentines demonstrated for the protection of the unborn and support for mothers with unplanned pregnancies.
The Senate had previously defeated an abortion bill in 2018 in Argentina. The new abortion bill was titled “Regulation of access to voluntary interruption of pregnancy and post-abortion care”, and was drawn up by the ministries of Health and Women, Gender and Diversity in coordination with the Legal and Technical Secretariat of the Presidency. The bill was also fast-tracked by President Alberto Fernández who introduced the bill as part of his campaign promise with this beimg the ninth time that a bill to legalise abortion has been introduced.
So sad to see Argentina legalising abortion. When will we wake up to this global injustice towards the most vulnerable?