What The Green Scarf Means In The Fight For Reproductive Rights

FRANCES SOLÁ-SANTIAGO
MAY 17, 2022

When a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion in early May revealed that Rove v. Wade will likely be overturned, protests broke out across the country, as activists pushed for lawmakers to codify the landmark decision that protected a pregnant person’s right to choose abortion via the Women’s Health Protection Act. Over the weekend, the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America held a march and called on all the attendees to wear green and “bring your green bandana.” Similar protests were held in cities like Miami and Washington, D.C., where many attendees likewise sported green scarves on their wrists and necks.

While the green scarf may be the new symbol of the pro-abortion fight in the U.S, it's been around for at least a decade. In fact, it emerged in Argentina in the late 2010s, as the country’s activists fought to decriminalize abortion in a sweeping movement that earned them the title “Marea Verde” or “Green Wave.”

Continued: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2022/05/10978997/green-scarf-meaning-roe-v-wade-protests

Colombia legalized abortions for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. A backlash ensued

May 10, 2022
JOHN OTIS

BOGOTA, Colombia — As some U.S. states place more restrictions on abortion and Americans brace for the possibility that the Supreme Court will soon overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing the procedure, several Latin American countries have moved in the opposite direction.

The latest nation to do so was Colombia. On Feb. 21, Colombia's Constitutional Court legalized abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/05/10/1097570784/colombia-legalized-abortions-for-the-first-24-weeks-of-pregnancy-a-backlash-ensu

Abortion rights activists in the US can learn from recent progress on abortion access in Latin America

Analysis by Stefano Pozzebon, CNN
Sat May 7, 2022

Bogota, Colombia (CNN)The prospect of the United States overturning decades of abortion rights, which materialized this week in a leaked draft opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, triggered shock waves in many countries in Latin America, where many feminist organizations have often looked at the US as a model of greater reproductive rights and freedoms.

However, that model has flipped on its head in recent years. Just as several US states have put in place further barriers to abortion access through various restrictions, some countries in Latin America have moved in the other direction, with a growing number of countries liberalizing such laws.

Continued: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/07/americas/abortion-analysis-latin-america-activists-intl-latam/index.html

As U.S. may restrict abortion, other nations are easing access

May 4, 2022
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BOGOTA, Colombia — As women in the United States find themselves on the verge of possibly losing the constitutional right to abortion, courts in many other parts of the world have been moving in the opposite direction.

That includes in a number of traditionally conservative societies — such as recently in Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February legalized the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy, part of a broader trend seen in parts of heavily Catholic Latin America.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/04/1096533640/as-u-s-may-restrict-abortion-other-nations-are-easing-access

04.05.2022

Commentary

Featured

Agnes Callamard

Amnesty International

Catalina Martínez Coral

Center for Reproductive Rights

How Latin American women are winning the battle for abortion rights

Argentina, Colombia and Mexico have recently legalised or decriminalised abortion. Could Chile be next?

Diana Cariboni
29 April 2022

It was inconceivable, just five years ago, that ultra-conservative Colombia would decriminalise abortion, or that Catholic, neoliberal Chile would be gearing up to vote on a new constitution that enshrines sexual and reproductive rights, including on-request abortion.

Yet in February, Colombia’s constitutional court removed abortion (up to 24 weeks) from the criminal code in response to a court case brought by Causa Justa – the spearhead of a wide-ranging social and legal campaign of more than 120 groups and thousands of activists.

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/women-latin-america-winning-abortion-rights/

Colombia has approved more liberal abortion laws, sparking backlash

March 30, 2022
(4-minute podcast with transcript)
JOHN OTIS

Colombia approved some of the most liberal abortion laws in the Americas in February. The decision has provoked a backlash from anti-abortion groups.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:
As some states in the U.S. have restricted access to abortion, several Latin American countries have moved in the opposite direction. The latest was Colombia, where the Constitutional Court in February approved some of the most liberal abortion laws in the Americas. Reporter John Otis retraces the country's course on this issue. And just a note - this story begins with some disturbing imagery.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/2022/03/30/1089774564/colombia-has-approved-more-liberal-abortion-laws-sparking-backlash

The Key Argument on Abortion That Changed Everything in Colombia

March 14, 2022
Catalina Martínez Coral

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — For decades abortion rights activists in Latin America looked to our counterparts in the global north to learn the best litigation and advocacy tools. We considered the incremental gains made in the years leading up to Roe v. Wade in the United States a blueprint for victory in our fight.

But as a feminist green wave, referring to the green bandannas abortion rights supporters wear, sweeps across the region, this summer the United States Supreme Court could roll back abortion rights. Inspiration is now coming from the south rather than the north, thanks to the coordinated efforts of many Latin American activists.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/opinion/latin-america-colombia-abortion.html

How Feminists Won a Historic Abortion Ruling in Colombia

In 2020, Causa Justa in Colombia filed the case that the Constitutional Court ruled on last month, promoting a simple yet transformative argument: that abortion is a health need, and not a matter of criminal persecution.

3/10/2022
by GISELLE CARINO

After months of delays, Colombia’s Constitutional Court finally gave their ruling in a historic case for reproductive justice: In a victory for women and human rights activists everywhere, the justices ruled to decriminalize abortion completely up to 24 weeks and unconditionally under the existing three exceptions. The case, brought by a collective of feminist movements known as Causa Justa, argued for the common sense idea that criminalizing abortion violates the human rights of women, girls and other pregnant people.

Just 16 years ago, Colombia had a total ban on abortions. In 2006, the feminist organization WomensLinkWorldwide secured a Constitutional Court ruling to allow abortion in cases of rape, incest or when the life or health of the woman is at risk. But women in Colombia continued to face multiple barriers to accessing legal abortions under these exceptions…

Continued; https://msmagazine.com/2022/03/10/abortion-colombia-feminist/

As the US continues to pass extreme abortion bans, Latin American countries legalize access

Published March 10, 2022
Podcast: 51:56 minutes

On this edition of Your Call, we'll discuss the continued attacks on abortion and the very real possibility that Roe could be overturned in the United States. If that happens, 26 states would ban most or all abortions, including Idaho, Louisiana, Utah, and Ohio.

As extreme bans continue to pass in the US, Columbia, Argentina, and Mexico are moving forward by legalizing or decriminalizing abortion. It's taken decades of grassroots activism. We'll find out how they did it.

Guests:
Shefali Luthra, reporter for The 19th, covering health policy and gender
Giselle Carino, chief executive of Fos Feminista, an alliance of more than 135 organizations worldwide advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice for women, girls, and gender diverse people through healthcare and activism

Continued: https://www.kalw.org/show/your-call/2022-03-10/as-the-us-continues-to-pass-extreme-abortion-bans-latin-american-countries-legalize-access

Activists welcome Colombia’s decriminalisation of abortion

Amy Booth, The Lancet WORLD REPORT| VOLUME 399, ISSUE 10328, P899
MARCH 05, 2022

The ruling consolidates Latin America's swing towards pro-choice, following similar recent decisions in Argentina and Mexico. Amy Booth reports.

Colombia's constitutional court has decriminalised elective abortion up to 24 weeks, giving the country some of the most liberal abortion legislation in Latin America. The ruling deepens a trend towards legalisation in a region where the procedure was almost universally banned until recently. Following extensive and litigious negotiations, the court announced its 5–4 verdict on Feb 21, 2022. Outside the courthouse, feminist campaigners clad in the emerald green of Latin America's green tide pro-choice movement hugged each other and jumped for joy, many bursting into tears.

Continued: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00416-0/fulltext