Establishment Of Fair Reproductive Rights For Women

What is life itself is perhaps one of the most complicated questions we have posed. But something very clear about life is how we make more of it; how we reproduce. Reproductive health and rights are a huge global issue. However in Peru they are particular ubiquitous because of the high maternal mortality rates. One upsetting reason mothers die is lack of access to abortion in the case that a woman’s life is at risk and unsafe abortion practice because of this

Broadly, in Peru, abortion is illegal but there are exceptions like when it endangers the life of the woman or she has been raped. This is similar to many other Latin American countries where catholic morals prevail. Although these types of emergency abortion have been legal since 1924 in Peru, there have been so many ups and downs in the legal system. Since 1924 many bills have been passed giving more freedom and then more restriction on abortions. In countries like these were abortion is heavily restricted women are more likely to try and end their own pregnancies. This comes with so much risk and usually death. Each year about 20 million unsafe abortions occur worldwide. In countries like Peru where abortion is heavily penalized, women who participate in unsafe abortion is 23 to 1000.

In the groundbreaking case of L.C. vs Peru a young girl named L.C. (her name was kept anonymous for safety) was raped repeatedly and soon became pregnant. She decided to jump off a roof and when she was found she was rushed to the hospital. Although it was legal for her to get an abortion in order to save her life she was refused service. She suffered a misacairrage and was paralyzed.

The Center for Reproductive Rights and the Center for the Promotion and Defense of Sexual and Reproductive Rights filed a human rights petition on behalf of L.C. against Peru before the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. CEDAW found Peru in violation of L.C’s rights and it was the first time a U.N. committee demanded that a country change its abortion laws to protect women’s health. However in Peru women’s rights are and have been for a long time, subject to the whims of whoever is in political power.

Therapeutic abortions (abortions that occur in order to save a woman’s life or protect her heath) is a necessary public health service. Not allowing access to this service violate human rights of women and girls.

Instances like L.C’s are prevalent around the world and need to be stopped. The main solution I propose is called LIFE. This plan entails that 1.Laws are clearly put into place that allow therapeutic abortion 2. Inform women of their constitutional and human rights regarding family planning 3. Form an international body that holds governments, doctors, and any individual accountable for obstructing in any way of these laws and 4. Ensure that government and private insurance covers these procedures without unfair costs threats for jail or penalties of any sort.

The first step is to establish clear regulation and procedure for therapeutic abortion this starts with the government. The second will happen through the public education system and organizations created through the U.N. where women will learn exactly what their human and constitutional rights are. The third will use litigation before either national or international courts if they have broken the agreements of the U.N. on therapeutic abortion. The fourth part of the plan would watch and regulate government insurance agencies and their policies and how they enforce their policies on therapeutic abortion as well as monitor private insurance policies and how they enforce their policies as well. LIFE and the ideas proposed in it will be extremely beneficial not only in Peru but everywhere. I hope that my plan in action will help women and communities everywhere with reproductive health.