Argentina – Abortion: a pillar of a broad pro-democracy and human rights coalition

THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2022
BY CAMILA VALLE, MABEL BELLUCCI

I received Mabel Belluci’s 2014 book Historia de una desobediencia: Aborto y feminismo (History of a Disobedience: Abortion and Feminism) for Christmas four years ago. As an Argentinian reproductive justice organizer in the United States, I found their account of the abortion movement in Argentina to be a stunning product of a life within the struggle—remarkable in particular for its interest in the often messy shifts, splits, reformations, and moments of unity that go into building a movement. Reading it brought to the fore the value and potential of independent feminist historiography: of history told by us and for us, consciously situated as the continuation of a long political lineage.

I spoke with Belluci about the Argentinian abortion movement’s confrontational tactics, its path to building a broad coalition, and the lessons for Argentinian feminists in the broad rollback of abortion rights in the US. - Camila Valle.

Continued: https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7868

03.11.2022

Featured

Interviews/Podcasts

Camila Valle

Commission for the Right to Abortion

Dora Coledesky

Historia de una desobediencia: Aborto y feminismo

Mabel Belluci

National Campaign for the Right to Legal Safe and Free Abortion

The Fight for Abortion and Reproductive Justice after Roe

SUNDAY 16 OCTOBER 2022
BY CAMILA VALLE, EMILY JANAKIRAM, HOLLY LEWIS, SHERRY WOLF

Spectre Journal (USA) recently hosted an event for donors about global lessons for the struggle for abortion rights and reproductive justice after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. The panel included Camila Valle, Sherry Wolf, Emily Janakiram, and Holly Lewis. This is an edited transcript of their speeches and wrap ups after the discussion.

Camila Valle: I know people are probably thinking about what just happened to our right to abortion and reproductive healthcare in the US, which other speakers will go into tonight, but I wanted to start with a historic victory in a different part of the world: that of the Argentinian abortion movement, which won legalization at the end of 2020—and not just legalization, but free abortion as part of their socialized healthcare system.

Continued: https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article7850

Latin America can now lead the way on abortion rights

After the overturning of Roe v Wade in the United States, Argentina’s Green Wave may serve as a blueprint for feminist and trans-feminist movements across the world.

Mariela Belski, Executive director of Amnesty International Argentina
29 Jun 2022

With the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade – the landmark 1973 ruling that enshrined the right to abortion in the United States – the global map of abortion rights has been reversed.

While in the second half of the 20th century the global North was at the forefront of abortion law reform, with the US among its leading exponents, today it is feminist and trans-feminist movements in Latin America that are advancing discussions that put reproductive autonomy and gender justice centre stage.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/6/29/latin-america-can-now-lead-the-way-on-abortion-rights

29.06.2022

Commentary

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Amnesty International Argentina

green bandanas

green wave

Mariela Belski

National Campaign for the Right to Legal Safe and Free Abortion

Women’s Rights Are Human Rights

This fight against women's oppression is not just a struggle for women, but for all of humanity.

Tuesday, April 06, 2021

by Alison Bodine, Common Dreams

March 8, 2021, International Women’s Day, is an important day to recognize the
challenges confronted and the great victories made by women around the world,
especially in the past year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over the last 12 months, in addition to the health challenges posed by Covid-19
itself, women have faced increasing rates of domestic violence, higher rates of
job loss, as well as a larger burden of the care of children and families
because of the pandemic. In countries like the U.S. and Canada, government
mismanagement of Covid-19 has amplified the health and economic crisis. Black,
Indigenous, and immigrant women and their communities have been
disproportionately impacted by the crisis.
Continued: https://www.commondreams.org/views/2021/04/06/womens-rights-are-human-rights

Argentina: Can one country’s change of abortion law alter a continent?

By Katy Watson, BBC South America correspondent
March 4, 2021

When Argentina's Congress voted to legalise abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy, Renata (not her real name) felt excited.

"How cool," the 20-year-old from
northern Brazil remembers thinking in late December. A student and supermarket
worker, Renata saw it as the start of something new in a region where abortion
is mostly illegal.

But she thought little more of it until a
week later, when she found out she was pregnant herself. Then, she says, her
world collapsed.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56098334

Argentina’s abortion law enters force under watchful eyes

BY ALMUDENA CALATRAVA, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted Jan 23, 2021

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina’s groundbreaking abortion law goes into force Sunday under the watchful eyes of women’s groups and government officials, who hope to ensure its full implementation despite opposition from some conservative and church groups.

Argentina became the largest nation in Latin
America to legalize elective abortion after its Senate on Dec. 30 passed a law
guaranteeing the procedure up to the 14th week of pregnancy and beyond that in
cases of rape or when a woman’s health is at risk.

Continued: https://www.citynews1130.com/2021/01/23/argentinas-abortion-law-enters-force-under-watchful-eyes/

Feminist ‘green tide’ delivers legal abortion in Argentina

Argentina’s “marea verde” has helped deliver sweeping abortion reform in one of Latin America’s most Catholic countries.

Jan 2, 2021

As the result of the Senate vote on the government’s abortion bill was announced, the huge crowd of campaigners gathered outside Congress erupted into joy.

Among the cheers and tears, almost all the demonstrators were clad in green clothing – most notably the now-famous headscarf that’s been worn permanently by thousands of people across the country, demanding legal, safe and free abortion in Argentina.

Continued: https://batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/feminist-green-tide-delivers-legal-abortion-in-argentina.phtml

‘Down with patriarchy, long live feminism’: How demonstrations led to Argentina legalising abortion

What really kicked off the movement was the brutal murders of women in 2015, including a 14-year-old pregnant girl, and led to the creation of the Ni Una Menos (Not One Woman Less) movement, which began highlighting the struggle Argentine women faced in getting underground abortions.

Updated: Jan 02, 2021
hindustantimes.com | Edited by Nilavro Ghosh

Argentina has become the largest South American nation to legalise abortion after massive demonstrations across the country by pro-abortion activists, who had seen several bills about the issue rejected until now. December 30 saw one of the most important moments in Argentina’s history when after more than 12 hours of debate, the Catholic church influenced government passed the law, which legalises abortion allowing terminations up to 14 weeks of pregnancy.

“We managed to break the prejudice, and the discussion became a lot less dramatic. Society at large started to understand the debate in more moderate, less fanatic terms,” Lucila Crexell, a senator, was quoted by the New York Times.

Continued: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/down-with-patriarchy-long-live-feminism-how-demonstrations-led-to-argentina-legalising-abortion/story-KldI91DjS1SwbmiSdDCYBK.html

02.01.2021

National Campaign for the Right to Legal Safe and Free Abortion

Photos Capture Historic Celebrations in Argentina After Abortion Legalized

Amanda Cotrim’s photographs document the thousands of abortion rights advocates who erupted into festivities throughout Buenos Aires on the day of the vote.

by Valentina Di Liscia
December 31, 2020

Yesterday, December 30, Argentina became the largest country in Latin America to legalize abortion. After 12 hours of debate — and a grueling decades-long battle between the nation’s progressive and conservative factions — the bill was approved in the Senate by a vote of 38 to 29.

Abortion rights advocates gathered outside the National Congress in Buenos Aires. In anticipation of the momentous decision, they erupted into city-wide festivities, flaunting bright green scarves and face paint to show their support for reproductive rights. The emerald hue has become emblematic of the pro-choice movement in Argentina, where tens of thousands of women suffer adverse health effects from a lack of access to safe abortions, particularly those from low-income backgrounds and rural areas. In 2016, 39,025 women were admitted to public hospitals for complications arising from clandestine abortions, 6,400 of whom were girls and teenagers aged 10 to 19.

Continued: https://hyperallergic.com/611817/photos-capture-strength-and-tenderness-of-historic-celebrations-in-argentina-after-abortion-legalized/

31.12.2020

National Campaign for the Right to Legal Safe and Free Abortion

Indigenous women explain what’s at stake in Argentina’s abortion debate

A bill to legalise abortion is now at the senate. These Indigenous women explain what the debates mean for lives on the ground. #12DaysofResistance

Luciana Mignoli
26 December 2020

“Talking about abortion is a huge challenge,” says Bashe Nuhem. She’s a feminist activist, radio presenter and video producer, and a member of the Qom indigenous community in Castelli, an area in north-east Argentina known as “the doorway to the Impenetrable”, an extensive and once dense forest.

“I work in an indigenous radio station and, with my colleagues, weave words together. We challenge men who don't want us to talk [about abortion]. It remains a taboo,” Nuhem explains. We spoke as the lower chamber debated a new bill to legalise the “voluntary interruption of pregnancy” up to the 14th week in Argentina. Having passed the lower body of parliament in early December, the bill is now before the senate.

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/indigenous-women-explain-whats-at-stake-in-argentinas-abortion-debate/