In Nicaragua, women don’t have their say

On October 27th, 2006, a new law was passed in Nicaragua. This law bans voluntary termination of pregnancy (V.T.O.P) in ANY circumstances, and that even if the woman gets pregnant after having been raped. Before the reinforcement of the legislation, the clinical operation was authorised for medical reasons or when the pregnancy was harmful for the woman’s life.   

 

Following an intense pressure from the Church as well as from the pro-life movement,  a total interdiction is from that time in force in the country. The ban has also received support from the President and almost all the political parties in Nicaragua.

The consequences of such a law are easy to guess: millions of women might die in labour, innumerable teenagers might deliver babies whom they will not be able to take care, and more and more women might have to resort to illegal pregnancy termination.

We should not neglect that in Nicaragua, one out of three girls is victim of sexual abuse during her lifetime (Source: Oxfam).

This law is clearly an infringement to women and children’s rights.

 

Source: http://www.uni.edu/palczews/alta01.htm

Here is a documentary from the Channel 4 programme “Unreported World” on the issue (in 3 parts):