“Abortion is a human right that respects the dignity and autonomy of anyone who can become pregnant. Everyone must be able to access safe abortion, care, and information, and decriminalization is absolutely central. The Argentinian Congress has the opportunity now to recognize the rights of all women, girls and people who can become pregnant to make free decisions about their own bodies.”
“It’s well past time we can leave decades of sexual and reproductive rights violations behind and embrace a more equal global society that doesn’t have to tolerate the global tragedy of unsafe abortions. We cannot lose one more person to complications from unsafe abortion. Not even one.”
Background
The current Argentinian legislation on abortion has led to more than 3,200 women losing their lives in the last 30 years and another 39,000 women putting their health and lives at risk every year. The Argentine Congress has a historic opportunity to adapt its legislation to comply with international human rights standards and join the global trend that seeks to discourage the use of the criminal tools to regulate women’s access to their sexual and reproductive rights and to guarantee their access to legal and safe abortion. Over the last 25 years, more than 50 countries have changed their laws to allow for greater access to abortion, recognizing the vital role that access to safe abortion plays in protecting lives and health. Amnesty International will continue to actively and decisively campaign to ensure both chambers vote in favor of the bill and abortions are finally legal in Argentina.
Amnesty International recognizes that anyone who can become pregnant has the right to an abortion. The organization calls for universal access to safe abortion and for provision of post-abortion care and evidence-based abortion-related information. The human rights organization calls for removing abortion from criminal and other punitive laws and policies and to stop punishing women, girls and all pregnant people, healthcare providers and others for obtaining, assisting with, or providing abortion services.
Read more:
Authorities in Argentina deny 11-year-old’s right to terminate forced pregnancy (March 1, 2019)
Senators in Argentina squander an historic opportunity upon rejecting the legalization of abortion (August 9, 2018)
First step to decriminalize abortion in Argentina is historic for human rights (June 14, 2018)
Ruling to release woman jailed after miscarriage in Argentina, a step forward for human rights (August 17, 2016)