Ending ‘Marry-Your-Rapist’ Laws
September 11, 2017
Asia Pacific Fund for WHRDs Launched
November 3, 2017
On August 21, 2017 Chile’s Constitutional Court voted in favor of lifting the total ban on abortion in the country. With this shift, Chile will no longer be considered one of the most restrictive countries in the world in terms of abortion laws. The measure legalizes abortion under three circumstances: in cases where the woman’s life is in danger, when the fetus is not viable and in cases of rape
At the heart of this legal victory is Chile’s resilient women’s movement and the many grassroots women’s groups who consider this law to be a critical yet small step towards gender equality. Channel partner Global Fund for Women spoke with their grantee partners in Chile working for safe and legal abortion about this historic law, how they’re raising awareness, and what is next in the fight for abortion rights.
Channel partner Ipas has also long supported the work of activists, including the Chilean reproductive rights organization, Miles, in efforts to liberalize the punitive abortion law. Chilean women found guilty of having an abortion had been subject to prison sentences.
