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24/07/2013 | Note for equality

Note for Equality N° 7: The state of legislation on abortion and voluntary interruption of pregnancy in the region

Abortion is permitted in three countries of Latin America; in 11 countries it is realized under certain circumstances.

What are the main challenges around the legislation of abortion and of voluntary interruption of pregnancy?

• Make progress toward legal measures that are coherent with the protection and guarantee of women’s rights.
• Create and improve the conditions for access to opportune and safe voluntary pregnancy interruption, in countries where this is allowed without restrictions or under certain circumstances. This involves developing regulations, standards and treatment protocols which provide an appropriate framework for enforcement.
• Progress in the development of policies that reduce the impact of unsafe abortion in those countries with partial or total restrictions.
• Promote measures to improve the sexual and reproductive health of women and the general population, especially sexual education and sexual and reproductive health attention policies. Universal access to reproductive health by 2015 is also a target of Millennium Development Goal 5, which aims to improve maternal health.
• Strengthen information systems about the situation of abortion.