Article 153 on abortion in the draft criminal code was approved on September 28 in the Chamber of Deputies of the Legislative Assembly of Bolivia.It allows abortion up to eight weeks of pregnancy without penalty if the woman is responsible for senior citizens with disabilities or for minors, and also if continuing the pregnancy presents a risk to the life or health of the woman, there are fetal malformations incompatible with life, if the pregnancy results from rape or incest, or results from impregnation with reproductive technology that the woman did not consent to, or if the pregnancy is in a girl child or adolescent .
It has not yet been approved in the Senate, but the Senate has a majority of the Evo government party and is expected to pass the bill into law. The position of the Campaign for the Decriminalization of Abortion in Bolivia on September 28 was for total decriminalisation, but there is also no doubt that we consider this reform of Article 153 an important advance for women.
We ask for your support on Twitter calling on the Senate to approve the bill: @Senadobolivia
Please also write letters to these Senators supporting law reform:
Jose Alberto González Samaniego
Presidente de la Cámara de Senadores
Adriana Salvatierra Arrieza
Presidenta de la Comisión de Constitución de la Cámara de Senadores
We also ask you to circulate this request to other networks and activists to support us in Bolivia.
Saludos a todas, Lupe Pérez, Campaña 28 de Septiembre Bolivia, Pacto nacional despenalización aborto Bolivia
SOURCE/PHOTO: Prensa Latina, 1 October 2017; E-mail from Marisa Matamala