Argentina's abortion bill gets approval from lower house of Congress; awaits Senate's nod

Lawmakers in Argentina’s lower house of Congress on December 11 approved a landmark government-backed bill to legalise abortion. According to CNN, the bill, which now needs approval from the country’s Senate in a debate expected before the end of the year, will allow for abortions to be carried out up to the 14th week of pregnancy. Backed by President Alberto Fernandez, the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina approved the bill with 131-117 vote with six abstentions. 

If passed by the Senate, Argentina will be one of the first major South American countries to legalise abortion. The bill is seen as a big step forward for the legislation that could set the tone for a wider shift in conservative Latin America. While speaking to CNN, Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta, the government's Women, Gender and Diversity minister, said that the latest development is a “fundamental step and recognition” of a long struggle that women’s movements have been carrying out in the country for years. She added that the country is going to continue working so that the voluntary termination of pregnancy becomes law. 

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Amnesty Int’l welcomes the pro-abortion bill 

Amnesty International has also welcomed the lower house approval and called in the country’s Senate not to “turn its back” on women and help end clandestine abortions that risk women’s lives. Now, the initiative will include a parallel bill which will face a separate vote to assist women who want to continue with their pregnancy and face severe economic or social difficulties. 

Meanwhile, in recent years, the country has seen a gradual rise in agnosticism. Two years ago, during the administration of more conservative President Mauricio Macri, the Senate voted against a similar bill to legalise abortion after it was narrowly approved by the lower house. According to reports, currently, many women who have an abortion in Argentina, as well as people who assist them with the procedure poses a risk to the mother’s health.

Last months, Argentina’s President had informed that more than 38,000 women are hospitalised yearly from poorly performed abortions and more than 3,000 have died since 1983. The new bill specifies that pregnancy can be terminated voluntarily until week 14, but the period could also be extended in cases of rape of health risk, as provided under the current legislation. 

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