After 40 Years Of Debates And Demonstrations, Argentina’s Senate Finally Approves Historic Bill To Legalize Abortion

The events that took place in Argentina on the 30th on December finally proved that the year 2020 wasn’t so bad after all. Yesterday, after decades and decades of debates, fights, and struggle, Argentina’s Senate has finally approved the historic bill to legalize abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy.

After a 12-hour debate, senators approved the law with 38 members voting in favor, 29 against, and 1 abstention. To celebrate the historic moment, thousands of pro-choice activists went to the streets of Buenos Aires waving green flags and wearing green handkerchiefs—the symbol of the movement.

On December 30, thousands of pro-choice activists in Argentina went to the streets to celebrate the new law being approved

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Before the historic day, abortion has been considered a crime in Argentina ever since the late 19th century. In 1922, the penal code was amended to allow abortion in three contexts. Abortion could be performed legally by a certified doctor if the pregnant woman’s life or health was in danger, the pregnancy was the result of a rape, and if the pregnant woman was mentally disabled.

After a 12-hour debate, senators passed the bill with 38 members voting in favor and 29 against

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During the 1976-83 military dictatorship, the penal code was changed once again and included further restrictions. Finally, in 1984, the provisions on abortion came back to the 1922 wording with one “subtle” change. Now, there were only two contexts in which abortion was allowed to be performed legally: if the pregnant woman’s life or health is in danger or if the pregnancy is the result of the rape of a mentally disabled woman.

Abortion’s been considered a crime in Argentina ever since the late 19th century

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The penal code’s section on abortion hadn’t changed since 1984—until yesterday. According to the previous law, anyone who induced abortion could be punished with 1 to 15 years of prison. The same penalty would be imposed on doctors, surgeons, midwives, and pharmacists that performed or cooperated in the induction of abortion.

In 1922, the provision of abortion was changed, allowing it if the mother’s health is in danger or if the pregnancy is the result of the rape of a mentally disabled woman

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After the Argentine general election of 1983 marking the return of the constitutional rule, we can notice a significant surge of the feminist movement in the country of Argentina.

March 8, 1984 marks the first-ever International Women’s Day demonstrations since the end of the military regime. The most iconic moment of the event was when the activist named María Elena Oddone climbed up the stairs of the Monument of the Two Congresses and raised a sign that read “No to motherhood, yes to pleasure.”

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The feminism of the 2000s and 2010s is considered to be one of the largest women’s movements in Latin American history. One of the issues that the modern wave of feminism had been focusing on was legal and safe abortions in the country. This activism is often referred to as “the revolution of the daughters” (Spanish: la revolución de las hijas), which is a term used by journalist Luciana Peker.

One of the main issues modern feminism in Argentina has been focusing on is legal and safe abortions

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These past decades, many pro-choice meetings and demonstrations have taken place in Argentina. Of course, the journey has been full of struggles since Latin America remains highly influenced by the Catholic Church, which defends life from the moment of conception.

In 2018, Argentine Congress began working towards a draft project to legalize abortion, and later that year, the Chamber of Deputies gave preliminary approval to the law with 129 votes in favor, 125 against, and 1 abstention. However, later that year, the law was rejected by the Senate.

Despite being illegal, around 5.4 million abortions occur every year in Latin America

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Fast forward to December 30, 2020, the Senate voted once again and finally passed the bill into law. In addition, the Senate also voted in favor of a law which will provide better healthcare for pregnant women and mothers of young kids.

“Safe, legal, and free abortion is now law… Today we are a better society,” the president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, wrote in a Twitter post after the results were announced. The president has talked a lot about the legalization of abortion during all of his presidency.

“Today we are a better society,” the president of Argentina Alberto Fernández wrote in a Twitter post

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According to Guttmacher Institute, despite being illegal, around 5.4 million abortions occurred every year in Latin America and the Caribbean between 2015 and 2019. In 2016, Human Rights Watch reported that more than 39,000 women and girls were hospitalized due to complications from abortions that year.

Most people seemed to be happy about the news

However, some people had different opinions

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