The Forgotten Women: How the Latin American Reproductive Rights Movement is Going Strong During a Global Pandemic
Elizabeth Gonzalez
External Submission
November 11, 2020
Now more than ever, it seems as if the world is anxiously watching American politics. Besides a controversial election and a healthcare crisis, people of all different types of life are paying attention to the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barret. Likely, this comes from the implications this nomination could have on Roe v Wade, the legislation that legalized abortion in the States in 1973. The topic of Roe v Wade is brought up in almost every election or large political moment in the states, as people nervously watch to see if the polarized nation will overturn the law that is so fundamental to women's rights.
Yet, it seems little attention is paid to the same battle going on in other places of the world. In regions such as Latin America, the women's rights movement is decades behind American and Canadian movement. Latin women have been waging a battle against the state and Catholic church for autonomy over their bodies, but have been met with multiple obstacles.
Earlier this year, Argentina served as a beacon of hope. It was setting precedent by paving the way for the nation to be the first country in the region to decriminalize abortion. Current law permits abortion only in cases of rape or threats to a mother's life and allowed doctors to opt-out based on religious or “moral” grounds. It's an oppressive law that denied many women access to an abortion . But things were looking up. Public opinion on abortion was slowly changing and President Alberto Fernandez pledged its legalization in a startling progressive shift for the country.
Then COVID-19 hit. The bill got pushed aside, it's future lying in limbo.
In Columbia, women also saw COVID-19 act as a further barrier to getting an abortion. The fight for reproductive rights was already in murky waters - in March, the court ruled to not change the law that (once again) only permitted abortion in situations of rape or risks to the mother’s life. The health ministry had issued guidelines that recognized abortions as essential services, but many doctors refused to administer them. Though one can understand that the health system is under unforeseeable pressures due to the pandemic, the choice is a stance against women’s reproductive rights.
The issue reflects the reality of sexism and misogyny in the Latin America. Femicide is an ongoing issue, predominantly in Mexico. Amnesty International reports that since the beginning of the pandemic, violence against women has risen, and countries like Chile and Mexico have reported increases of more than 50% in calls to emergency helplines for domestic violence. For those in society who claim that oppression on the basis of gender is a thing of the past - the women of Latin America would beg to disagree.
The effects of the pandemic are posing a greater risk to the health of these women who do not have autonomy over their bodies. Not that the threat was not already there - the numbers relating to health risks as a result of restrictive abortion regulations are astounding. An estimated 2,000 Latin American women each year die because of complications from unsafe abortions. In the small state of El Salvador, it is reported that 35,000 unsafe abortions each year. Maternal mortality is 21% in Latin America, which is almost double of what it is worldwide. Though abortion is a controversial and prevalent subject worldwide, it seems as though there should be greater attention paid to the Latin American counties, whose statistics paint a startling picture of the status of women in each country.
There is a larger issue surrounding sexism and women’s rights in the province. As previously mentioned, to deny women abortions is to pose a risk to their life and livelihood. The issue at hand also highlights the prominence of the Catholic church in the region, which influences legislation surrounding religiously controversial topics like abortion. Julian Cruzalta, an advisor for Catholics for the Right to Decide in Mexico, noted how dangerous the influence of the church is for the women of Latin America. He notes that their position in the political sphere prevents women from exercising full citizenship. To do so, “they must be able to freely exercise their reproductive rights.”
While the situation seems bleak, the women in Latin America are continuing to take a stand for reproductive rights. In March of 2020, the region saw a moment of solidarity as women participated in protests for International Women’s Day. It is reported that even 1,000 took to the streets in Mexico, and while the number is small compared to the 190,000 women who protested in Chile, it is something to appreciate due to the misogynist rhetoric of current President Jair Bolsonaro. There is also outstanding work to be done by organizations that focus on providing proper resources for women stuck in threatening conditions. In Argentina, Socorristas en Red has picked up the burden many assumed the government would have taken over by now. Through phone and web communications, they have been able to help more than 6,000 women navigate the abortion process. This has most likely saved countless lives in the nation.
In Columbia, activists have taken a different approach. Causa Justa is a community organizing group that filed a lawsuit against Columbia top court. They cited that classifing abortion as a crime “violates the fundamental rights of women.” It is quite interesting that while the world constantly shows its support for the often-contended Planned Parenthood in the states, international organizations assisting women in other areas of the world are left unknown.
So, in both legal and political spheres, the action is being taken. The women are restless and tired of being oppressed by a system still influenced by the Catholic church. While COVID-19 has halted the world's economic systems and sporting events, the fight against sexism is still going strong. And while it is an international battle, it is clear that the situation is so much more urgent, and so much more significant, for the women of Latin America.
As the world watches the fate of Roe v Wade in the United States, the women in Latin America fighting for their lives are asking you to not forget them. They are still fighting.