What the UN’s ruling on abortion in Ecuador and Nicaragua means for the rest of the world

Although implementation will depend on each country, these sorts of rulings have a potential for global influence

By Elizabeth Hlavinka
February 19, 2025

The United Nations Human Rights Committee issued a ruling last month with the potential to expand reproductive rights in Ecuador and Nicaragua. Although it’s unclear how each country will implement the UN mandates handed down, the ruling is a step forward for a growing reproductive rights movement working to decriminalize abortion in Latin America.

In 2016, Planned Parenthood Global, Amnesty International, and other Latin American activism groups came together to form the “Son Niñas, No Madres” (Girls, Not Mothers) movement. They have filed legal cases before the UN Human Rights Committee against Ecuador and Nicaragua, representative of a regional pattern of girls forced to become mothers due to sexual violence and a lack of access to reproductive health services like abortion in 2019.

Continued: https://www.salon.com/2025/02/19/what-the-uns-ruling-on-abortion-in-ecuador-and-nicaragua-means-for-the-rest-of-the-world/

UN ruling on pregnant girls offers hope for abortion care

Enid Muthoni, Lori Adelman
Jan 29, 2025
Center for Reproductive Rights

Nicaraguan Susana was 13-years-old when she became pregnant by her grandfather, who had repeatedly raped her. When she found out, Susana said she did not want to continue with the pregnancy, and, with the help of her grandmother, pled five times for the complaint against her aggressor to be accepted. In a country like Nicaragua, which totally bans abortion and has normalized human rights violations, voices like Susana's are not heard. She was forced into motherhood, while her aggressor was never prosecuted. However, this month Susana finally got justice on Jan. 20.

On the same day Donald Trump returned to the White House, the United Nations Human Rights Committee delivered three groundbreaking rulings, holding Ecuador and Nicaragua responsible for grave human rights violations against Susana and two other young survivors of rape who were forced into motherhood. The Committee is clear: everyone, and with greater emphasis on girls, has the right to be free from sexual violence and free to make their own choices. Although the decisions are about the cases of Norma from Ecuador and Lucía and Susana from Nicaragua, they set a new international standard for more than 170 signatory countries of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including the United States.

Continued: https://www.context.news/socioeconomic-inclusion/opinion/un-ruling-on-pregnant-girls-offers-hope-for-abortion-care

29.01.2025

News

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

Movimiento Son Niñas No Madres

Planned Parenthood Global

rape and abortion

sexual violence

United Nations Human Rights Committee

UN Ruling: Ecuador and Nicaragua Must Legalize Abortion to End Violations of Girls’ Human Rights

The Human Rights Committee recognizes that abortion bans violated the rights of girls who survived sexual violence and were forced into motherhood.

22.01.2025
Center for Reproductive Rights

(PRESS STATEMENT) — In a major victory for girls’ and women’s rights, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled Monday that Ecuador and Nicaragua violated the human rights of three girls who were forced into motherhood due to abortion bans in those States. In its decision, the Committee recognized that forced pregnancies and forced motherhood disrupts the personal, family, educational, and professional goals of girls, and constitutes a form of cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment by severely restricting their right to a dignified life.

The cases of Norma (Ecuador), and Susana and Lucia (Nicaragua), were brought before the Committee in 2019 by the Center for Reproductive Rights and allied organizations. The girls were 12 and 13 years old when they became pregnant after being raped by men in positions of power and authority whom they trusted (the biological father, the grandfather, and a priest, respectively).

Continued: https://reproductiverights.org/un-ruling-ecuador-and-nicaragua-must-legalize-abortion-to-end-violations-of-girls-human-rights/

Killed by abortion laws: five women whose stories we must never forget

As the US supreme court threatens to undo 49 years of access to safe and legal terminations, five women who died because of bans on abortion stand as warnings of what is at stake globally

Joe Parkin Daniels, Sarah Johnson, Weronika Strzyżyńska, Kaamil Ahmed and Mercy Kahenda
Sat 7 May 2022

[Stories about:]
Savita Halappanavar, Ireland
Olga Reyes, Nicaragua
‘Izabela’, Poland
‘Manuela’, El Salvador
‘Mildred’, Kenya

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/may/07/killed-by-abortion-laws-five-women-whose-stories-we-must-never-forget

Denied abortions, Latin American child rape survivors petition UN

Denied abortions, Latin American child rape survivors petition UN
Groups on behalf of young rape survivors from Ecuador, Guatemala, Nicaragua call on region to provide abortion access.

30 May 2019

Reproductive rights groups petitioned a United Nations agency on Wednesday on behalf of four young pregnant rape survivors in Latin America, calling on the region to ease up on its restrictive abortion laws.

Due to the laws, the girls were forced to carry their unwanted pregnancies to term and became "mothers against their will", said the petition by the US-based Center for Reproductive Rights and Planned Parenthood Global and other rights groups in Ecuador, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

continued: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/05/denied-abortions-latin-american-child-rape-survivors-petition-190530172120887.html

Latin America’s fight to legalise abortion: the key battlegrounds

Latin America's fight to legalise abortion: the key battlegrounds
After Argentina rejected a bill to allow abortion in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, hopes of reform now rest elsewhere

Annie Kelly
Thu 9 Aug 2018

An estimated 6.5 million abortions take place across Latin America each year. Three-quarters of these procedures are unlawful, often performed in unsafe illegal clinics or at home.

Of 33 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, only Cuba, Uruguay and Guyana permit elective abortions. Women also have the right to choose in Mexico City. Elsewhere, however, the right to an abortion is severely restricted, with terminations often permitted in cases of rape, or if the pregnancy will endanger the life of the mother. Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Suriname all have a complete ban on abortion.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/aug/09/latin-america-fight-to-legalise-abortion-argentina-brazil-chile-venezuela-uruguay-colombia-el-salvador-peru

What Ireland’s Abortion Referendum Means for Latin America

What Ireland’s Abortion Referendum Means for Latin America
Countries in the Region Should Ease Abortion Restrictions

José Miguel Vivanco
Executive Director, Americas Division @JMVivancoHRW
May 31, 2018

Last week, when 66.4 percent of Irish voters stunned the world by voting to end the country’s ban on abortion, it gave many hope that countries in Latin America and the Caribbean—which have some of the world’s most restrictive abortion laws—would join the global trend towards easing abortion restrictions.

Just last year Chile ended its longstanding total abortion ban, allowing the procedure if the life of the pregnant woman is at risk, if the pregnancy is the result of rape, or if the fetus will not survive outside the womb.

Continued: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/31/what-irelands-abortion-referendum-means-latin-america

Latin America lagging behind on women’s rights

Latin America lagging behind on women’s rights

By Hugo Sánchez and Julia R. Arévalo
euroefe.es | translated by Freya Kirk
Feb 19, 2018

Imprisoned for having an abortion, forced to keep a child born out of rape, pushed to commit suicide: women still pay a heavy price in Latin America, where several countries’ legislation greatly restricts abortion. EURACTIV’s partner Euroefe reports.

Women’s rights in South America were the main issue during a conference before the 10th Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (EUROLAT), held last September in El Salvador. El Salvador is now ranked as the most violent country in the world, mainly due to gang activities.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/development-policy/news/latin-america-lagging-behind-on-womens-rights/

Brazil: Reject Abortion Ban

Brazil: Reject Abortion Ban
Constitutional Amendment Would Endanger Women, Girls; Violate Rights

December 12, 2017

(São Paulo) – Brazilian lawmakers should reject a dangerous constitutional amendment that would prohibit abortion in all circumstances, Human Rights Watch said today. The proposed amendment would ban abortion even for pregnancies resulting from rape, or when the life of the woman is in danger.

The proposed abortion ban is part of a constitutional amendment being considered on December 12, 2017, by a special congressional committee of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies. The committee approved the amendment in November, in a controversial vote, with 18 men voting yes and 1 woman voting no.

Continued at source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/12/12/brazil-reject-abortion-ban

Nicaragua’s Abortion Ban Makes Victims the Criminals

Nicaragua’s Abortion Ban Makes Victims the Criminals

September 28, 2017
Janet Walsh, Deputy Director, Women’s Rights Division

For more than six years, Ana’s partner raped her repeatedly in their home several hours from Nicaragua’s capital. He threatened, humiliated, and tormented Ana and their two young children. When she begged him to leave, he refused.

Twice, the rapes resulted in unwanted pregnancies. The first time, Ana told her partner she wanted to get a clandestine abortion. “He said he would kill me,” Ana told me. Afraid for her life, she continued the pregnancy and gave birth to her second child.

Continued at source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/28/nicaraguas-abortion-ban-makes-victims-criminals