In Mexico, underage girls between the ages of 12 and 17 were allowed to terminate pregnancies in the event of rape without parental or court permission. On Tuesday, May 24, the plenary session of the Supreme Court of the country supported this rule by a majority vote, according to the body’s website.
According to this decision, for an abortion, a teenager needs to provide a medical facility with only a written statement that the pregnancy arose after the rape.
“State medical organizations will have to provide abortion services to protect the rights of victims upon a written statement by the victim that the pregnancy is the result of rape,” the press service of the court said.
If an abortion after rape is necessary for a teenager under 12 years old, this will require parental consent.
In many Latin American countries, voluntary termination of pregnancy is prohibited and criminalized. In Mexico, only a few states have fully legalized abortion.
Earlier, on January 14, 2021, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez signed a law legalizing abortion. He stressed that this is an important step towards equality. At the end of December, both houses of the Argentine Parliament approved a bill that allows abortion without medical indications for up to 14 weeks. The document was sent to the president for consideration.
Until now, abortions in Argentina have been allowed only in cases of rape, as well as in case of a threat to the life of the mother or fetus.