By Fred Nunes
January 20, 2025
In 1995, Guyana became the first country on the South American continent to make abortion legal.
For that time, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1995 (MTOP) was landmark legislation and made huge advances on the 1983 Barbados law. It allowed access without the burden of reason for the first eight weeks of pregnancy, permitted access to girls without need of parental consent, and permitted midlevel healthcare professionals to perform non-surgical abortions in early pregnancy. The vote for this intensely controversial Bill was the first vote of conscience in the National Assembly. Minister of Health Gail Teixeira championed the campaign. Minister of Human Services and Social Security Indranie Chandarpal chaired the Special Select Committee and the late Dr. Faith Harding, the Shadow Minister of Health in the Opposition, were pivotal players in garnering support. There has not been another vote of conscience since then.
Continued: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2025/01/20/features/in-the-diaspora/guyana-proves-legal-abortion-protects-life/