Femicide and Reproductive Violence Harm African Women, Girls

Betty Kabari, Researcher, Women's Rights Division - Human Rights Watch
July 31, 2024

International African Women’s Day on July 31 recognizes the contribution of African women toward political, social, and economic freedom on the continent. But gender equality is still not a reality for most African women.

Many countries still have regressive laws, and even the more progressive laws in other countries are often poorly carried out. There is a lack of supportive frameworks to promote and safeguard women and girls’ equality, such as research into rights violations and public education on gender equality and women and girls’ rights.

Continued; https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/31/femicide-and-reproductive-violence-harm-african-women-girls

Pastors say they support ‘sanctity of life’ after case involving 11-year-old girl

Friday, August 18, 2023
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

AFTER an 11-year-old girl allegedly impregnated by her mother’s boyfriend aborted the baby with pills procured by her mother, two prominent religious leaders said yesterday that many churchgoers still oppose abortion in such circumstances.

...Alicia Wallace, director of Equality Bahamas, said given the degree of gender-based violence in The Bahamas, it is “ridiculous and inhumane to expect women or children to suffer through unwanted pregnancies”.

"There is absolutely no reason to criminalise a child or the people who helped her to access critical healthcare that likely saved her life, preventing further physical and mental harm,” she said on Wednesday.

Continued: http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/aug/18/we-oppose-abortion-even-case-rape-pastors-say-they/

USA – The link between a lack of reproductive rights and domestic violence

Jul 14, 2023
By Amna Nawaz, Shoshana Dubnow
Video: 5:11 minutes

Long before the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, researchers noticed a link between women having abortion access and a reduced risk of violence from men. In the wake of the court's decision, the opposite is happening and abortion restrictions have led to a significant uptick in intimate partner violence. Amna Nawaz discussed more with NewsHour health reporter Laura Santhanam.

Continued: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-link-between-a-lack-of-reproductive-rights-and-domestic-violence

15.07.2023

Videos/Images

Amna Nawaz

Crystal Justice

intimate partner violence

Laura Santhanam

National Domestic Violence Hotline

reproductive coercion

violence against women

United States

Health

Human Rights

Canada – Conservative bill defeated amid concerns it would promote fetal rights

By Staff The Canadian Press
Posted June 14, 2023

A controversial Conservative private member’s bill intended to make violence against pregnant women an aggravating factor during court sentencing was roundly defeated in the House of Commons, as other parties said they feared it would reopen the debate on abortion.

The bill was supported by nearly all members of the Conservative party, including Leader Pierre Poilievre who declared himself to be “pro-choice” during his leadership campaign.

The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada had urged MPs to vote against the bill on the grounds that it promotes fetal rights, even though there is no mention of fetal rights in the text of the bill itself.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/9769739/conservatives-violence-against-pregnant-women-fetal-rights/

14.06.2023

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

Campaign Life Coalition

Cathay Wagantall

Pierre Poilievre

violence against women

How Mexico’s Top Justice, Raised Catholic, Became an Abortion Rights Champion

Influenced by feminists close to him, the chief of the country’s Supreme Court helped pave the way for decriminalization of the procedure.

By Natalie Kitroeff
July 9, 2022

MEXICO CITY — When the chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court began voting in favor of abortion rights, his toughest opponents were the people closest to him.

His sister asked why he wanted to kill babies. His brother, a civil engineer, lost clients. Friends prayed for his religious conversion in group chats.

Unlocked: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/09/world/americas/mexico-abortion-chief-justice.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DKDm4TiPsSGYyMvE7IaLBibNIomDGWVN5KN_omTvto0u5YOQlmSwilrN6GhY8ZIi4474KvW2d8l7T8YYcFyx64JG-oNLU4g7SloxONNDX3C6KL03QjLQl6qMRifEWt2XwP2vyTFuFqiNF73PshVZx7QD4KdzDK66ezc2h2MN2Cah3Y7wIkCaoOCXyIw4nqu_9Xex5SCFnGUHp6_W4_jdpcM9scN631RAUyLIu82f5CTzw1c_r6QsE5VIPWlL51sL_SqRXqycG-x_U-F6Q8r6r9Pa6IIFljGIHaDrwCZmNW&smid=url-share

Abortion as a Human Right: The Fight for Reproductive Rights in Argentina and Poland

07.FEB.2022
Jaya Nayar

On September 22, 2021, a 30-year-old Polish woman named Izabela died of septic shock at the hospital after her unborn baby’s heart stopped beating. Her death initiated waves of protests across Poland and was seen as the direct consequence of a near total ban on abortion passed in 2020, which outlawed the termination of pregnancies even in the case of fetal defects. Under this new law, unlawful abortion could lead to up to eight years in prison. Terrified of the law and of its potential consequences, Izabela’s doctors waited too long to terminate the pregnancy despite knowing the potential risks for the mother—resulting in her death.

The case of Poland sheds light on a puzzling contemporary phenomenon. The right to abortion has recently been under attack in several countries where it was previously legalized in the late 20th century. In September 2021, the US Supreme Court refused to block legislation in Texas that would ban terminations of pregnancy after six weeks, which is after many women are even aware that they are pregnant. In Turkey, where abortion has been legal since 1983, President Erdogan’s conservative position on abortion is making it increasingly difficult for women to access abortions in public hospitals.

Continued: https://hir.harvard.edu/abortion-as-a-human-right-the-fight-for-reproductive-rights-in-argentina-and-poland/

In Honduras, the Right Is Permanently Locking in Its Abortion Ban

BY SUYAPA PORTILLO
Jacobin Magazine, March 1, 2021

In a country
that is already home to some of the worst restrictions on women’s rights, the
Honduran Congress voted last month to lock in its bans on abortion and gay
marriage, making them almost impossible to overturn. It’s a reminder that, as
the feminist green tide washes over much of Latin America, there is still much
work to be done.

On January 28, on the heels of Honduran Women’s Day (January 25), the far-right
Nationalist Party–led Congress dealt a blow to feminists, LGBT people, and
countless Hondurans who believe in equality and human rights. With little
notice and virtually no public input, the Congress voted to amend the constitution
by enshrining the “right to life at conception” and by instituting a narrow
definition of marriage as “between a man and a woman.” Rushing the vote along
partisan lines, normal rules of procedure were suspended, and even advocates
closely following these issues were blindsided by the alacrity of the
fundamental change to the nation’s most important document.

Continued: https://jacobinmag.com/2021/03/honduras-abortion-ban-constitutional-amendment

That radical idea: a woman’s body belongs to her

Ground reality reveals deep rooted patriarchy that has taken hold of both formal state institutions and informal ones

Benazir Jatoi
September 11, 2020

One would think it is simple — one’s body
belongs to oneself. The reality is that a woman’s body does not belong entirely
to her. It belongs to the state, family, religious institutions and ideology.
Globally, controlling a woman’s body is one of the tools used to maintain the
deeply entrenched patriarchal status quo. For centuries, this is how it has
been regardless of the advancement societies make. That simple idea then that a
woman’s body belongs to her is in fact really, even in this day and age, a
radical one.

Continued: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2263585/that-radical-idea-a-womans-body-belongs-to-her

Colombia’s Upcoming Abortion Ruling Could Have A Big Impact On Latin America

Colombia's Upcoming Abortion Ruling Could Have A Big Impact On Latin America

By Tim Padgett
Feb 17, 2020

Colombia’s highest court is about to issue a ruling that could return the country to a total ban on abortion – or bring it in line with Roe v. Wade, the decision that legalized abortion in the U.S. Either way, because Colombia is one of the region's largest and more culturally influential countries, the decision could have a profound effect on abortion rights in Latin America.

The region already has some of the world’s strictest abortion laws – and now people on both sides of the debate hope a recent – and admittedly unusual – case will affirm their agendas.

Continued: https://www.wlrn.org/post/colombias-upcoming-abortion-ruling-could-have-big-impact-latin-america#stream/0

SLOVAKIA – Solidarity statement with Slovakia: We won’t keep quiet!

SLOVAKIA – Solidarity statement with Slovakia: We won’t keep quiet!

by International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
Jan 8, 2019

As part of the international campaign of 16 days of activism against violence against women civil society in Slovakia gathered at a protest and march across Bratislava to voice their demands and protest against structural gender-based violence, especially any steps limiting access to abortion. The march was called Nebudeme ticho! (We won´t keep quiet!) and was organised by Moznost Volby, ASPEKT, Bratislava bez náckov and Povstanie pokračuje.

In May 2018, the far-right political party in the Parliament proposed an amendment to the abortion law. According to the new law, abortion would be accessible only in three cases: if woman´s life is in danger; if pregnancy was a result of crime and in cases of fetal damage.

Continued: http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/slovakia-solidarity-statement-with-slovakia-we-wont-keep-quiet

08.01.2019