First, 18 Mexican states have decriminalized elective abortion!
The legislatures of Jalisco (October 4), San Luis Potosí (November 7), Zacatecas (November 19), Estado de México (November 25), and Chiapas (November 26) decriminalized elective abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. These laws were in response to federal court rulings declaring the unconstitutionality of an absolute abortion ban on abortion ordering that this regulation be derogated from the respective local norms. As you may recall, the rulings in Jalisco and Zacatecas were the result of amparos filled by GIRE in collaboration with local collectives.
We can’t forget that 19 days before the approval of the decriminalization bill in Chiapas, the Supreme Court of Justice examined the Unconstitutional Action 125/2023, which challenged a recent penal reform that modified the grounds under which abortion is not punishable. The Court ruled that the penal code of Chiapas still restricts the rights of women and people with the capacity to become pregnant and, therefore, ordered to derogate the total prohibition of elective abortion to be lifted.
The Congress of Michoacán also advanced its local regulations with a second regulatory model. On October 10, this State Legislature decriminalized abortion, with no time limit for those who seek it and up to 12 weeks of pregnancy for the health personnel who assist them.
These six victories result from the Mexican feminist movement’s extraordinary defence of reproductive autonomy. We are also proud that more and more Congresses are complying with court rulings and working to protect reproductive rights.
All of these victories are especially reassuring after the Congress of Aguascalientes passed a regressive bill that reduced the number of weeks of pregnancy for legal abortion from 12 to 6 weeks and removed the term “person with the capacity to become pregnant” from the law. The four bills and the Supreme Court’s ruling are beacons of light for the feminist movement. Our commitment to abortion rights is unstoppable despite the efforts of anti-rights groups.
We are also excited to present our new website, Aborto en Papiroflexia (Abortion in Origami). This site gathers the information available on abortion in Mexico and will be constantly evolving to respond to the changing context and diverse needs of those seeking information on the topic. You will find statistical data on access to abortion services in Mexico, as well as sections debunking myths about the issue and explaining the legal framework in simple terms. There is also a directory of allied organizations and collectives that provide support and resources to those who need to access a safe abortion. These contents aim to provide accurate information to different groups: decision-makers, health personnel, journalists, and the general public.
We invite you to take a look! Go to www.abortomexico.gire.org.mx
[This news report continues with listing GIRE’s participation in international and regional conferences.]
SOURCE: GIRE (Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida) Newsletter, by Rebeca Ramos gire@giremx.org.mx, E-mail: 3 December 2024.