Ruth Macklin Albert Einstein College of Medicine - PowerPoint Presentation

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Ruth Macklin Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Bioethics in Latin America and the Caribbean

Sexual and Reproductive Health

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Trends in past 10 years

Dual picture

Laws and policies have become more restrictive

Power and influence of Catholic church

Conservative legislatures

Unsafe abortion a leading cause of maternal mortality

Several countries have passed laws prohibiting abortion altogether, without exception

Chile and El Salvador

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Trends in past 10 years

Dual picture

Some countries have passed laws increasing access to abortion services

Barbados and Guyana

Peru apologizes for past sterilizations

Public awareness of reproductive rights heightened

Empowerment of women

Greater public discussion

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Definition of ‘reproductive health’

Reproductive health

[means]

that people have the ability to reproduce, to regulate their fertility; and that women are able to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth; and that reproduction is carried to a successful outcome through infant and child survival and well-being. To this may be added that people are able to enjoy and are safe in having sex.

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Definition adopted in UN programmes

Programme of Action for the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD)

1995 International Conference on Women in Beijing

But the definition adopted stipulated that actions in pursuit of reproductive health not be against the law

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Reproductive rights as human rights

Violations of reproductive rights

Programme in Peru that forcibly sterilized indigenous women

Law in Argentina that prohibits voluntary sterilization and makes it punishable

Upholding women’s rights

1994 Constitutional reform in Argentina

Included CEDAW and other human rights treaties in the constitution

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Catholic church and reproductive rights

Influence of the church on matters relating to abortion, contraception, and HIV/AIDS

“Day of the unborn child”

Judges in Argentina interpret the constitution as protecting the “right to life” of the fetus

Judges use theological arguments in favor of supremacy of the fetus

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Views of women and physicians

Survey in Argentina revealed a majority of women in favor of decriminalization of abortion

Physicians refuse to perform abortions sanctioned by law even when ordered by a judge

Some local laws require physicians to report women with suspected induced abortions to the police

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The Church and HIV/AIDS

Church hierarchy in Brazil opposed prevention plan that promoted the use of condoms

Bishops in Guatemala opposed plan to reduce maternal-infant mortality and combat the spread of AIDS

However, priests and nuns at grass roots level counsel people to use condoms

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Emergency Contraception

Not legally prohibited in Latin American countries

Church-sanctioned opposition to this method

False claims that EC is abortifacient

Multicenter study in three countries showed widespread support of education about and use of the method

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Some good news

Success in Mexico of program for education about and promotion of emergency contraception

Transition taking place in Argentina

Passage in legislature of bill on responsible procreation

Public debates about reproductive and sexual rights

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Need for ongoing actions

Reproductive and sexual rights continue to be violated with impunity

Rape of adolescent in Mexico

Girl’s request for legally permitted abortion denied

Petition signed by 70 Latin American women’s groups, sent to Interamerican Commission for Human Rights

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Hopes for the future

Mechanisms in place in the Federal District (Mexico City) do provide legal assistance and recourse for women and adolescents in such cases

Hopes for the future in Latin America lie in efforts by women’s groups and networks, and human rights organizations