Women’s groups drop Guatemala abortion clause over church dissent

Women’s groups drop Guatemala abortion clause over church dissent

Published on Sept 5, 2018
AFP

Women’s rights activists were forced into a hasty retreat Tuesday in the face of fierce church-led opposition to proposed legislation to loosen strict abortion laws.

Sponsors of the bill aimed at protecting underage victims of sexual abuse opted to remove a controversial clause that would decriminalize abortion for girls aged 14 or under who have been abused.

The influential Catholic and Evangelical churches organized a massive rally on Sunday to protest against the bill and in support of “life and the family.”

Continued: https://www.journalducameroun.com/en/womens-groups-drop-guatemala-abortion-clause-over-church-dissent/


Guatemalan congress to debate contradicting abortion bills

Guatemalan congress to debate contradicting abortion bills

04 September 2018

Guatemalan legislators are to start a confusing debate on Tuesday over two bills proposing changes to the country's strict abortion laws: one looking to loosen them and the other to toughen them.

Currently, abortion is only allowed in the conservative Catholic-majority Central American country if a mother's life is in danger.

A bill sponsored by the leftist Convergencia opposition party wants to expand that to allow underage girls that have been the victims of sexual abuse to abort in the first 12 weeks.

Continued: https://www.france24.com/en/20180904-guatemalan-congress-debate-contradicting-abortion-bills