(December 30, 2020, New York) The Guttmacher Institute stands in solidarity and celebration with advocates whose tireless fight has resulted in Argentina’s landmark decision to legalize abortion up to 14 weeks of gestation.
With this long overdue decision, Argentina joins Uruguay, Cuba and Guyana as just four countries in the region to have legalized abortion. In 2015-2019, 32 out of every 1,000 women aged 15-49 in Latin America and the Caribbean have had an abortion, compared with 11 per 1,000 in high-income countries where abortion is legal. Evidence shows that abortions that occur in legally restrictive settings are more likely to be unsafe than those in less restrictive ones, exposing women to an increased risk of physical and mental harm.
“Argentina has taken a step to uphold human rights and public health, and we hope that this will serve as inspiration for other countries, in Latin America and beyond, as they continue their fight for reproductive justice,” said Dr. Herminia Palacio, President and CEO of Guttmacher Institute. “It is impossible to overstate the significance of this decision—all people should have the right to decide when and if to have children, and no one should ever risk or compromise their life over lack of access to safe abortion.”
