Chile approves bill to decriminalise abortion under specific medical conditions

The lower house of Congress of Chile has started to move forward to approve a plan in decriminalising abortion in most circumstances on Tuesday, that would protect women who will have abortions within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy from prosecution. In spite of resistance from Chile's centre-right administration, the country's Chamber of Representatives carried the measure on Tuesday with 75 votes in favour of decriminalising abortion while 68 votes were against it, including two abstentions. 

Abortion is now permitted in Chile only in circumstances of rape, medical problems endangering a woman's life, or situations in which a fetus would be unable to live. According to the Associated Press, the voting was done on the same day as when the women's groups in Mexico, Venezuela, and other parts of the region held protests opposing restrictions on abortion. 

'Condemning a woman for simply having an abortion is immoral' 

In Chile, there was no specific information as to how many clandestine abortions are being carried out each year. The Humanas Corporation which is a women's rights organisation revealed that there are approximately 60,000 and 70,000 clandestine abortions done. According to Chilean politicians who favour the bill, decriminalising abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy would safeguard women from pursuing the operation in potentially unsafe circumstances. 

The opposition deputy Andrea Parra stated, “Condemning a woman for simply having an abortion is immoral,” AP reported. While, Minister of Women's Affairs Mónica Zalaquett stated that the Chilean administration will always safeguard life, from its conception. She went on to add that not a single woman in Chile is facing prison time due to an abortion. 

Chile will be holding general elections on November 21 and is currently working on a new constitution to improve the previous military-era law. Several nations in Latin America, which are predominantly Catholic, maintain stringent abortion laws, however, movements to legalise abortion in some countries have gained traction. The initiative to decriminalise abortion in most circumstances was halted in Chile's Congress over many years, and it was only resurrected in December 2020 after a similar policy was adopted in Argentina.  

This month, the Mexican Supreme Court has declared that punishing abortion is unlawful, overturning major parts of legislation from Coahuila, a state near the Texas border, which made abortion a crime. The Texas legislation has barred abortions once medical experts discover heart activity in the fetus. 

(Image: AP)