Chile court allows abortion in some cases News
Chile court allows abortion in some cases

Chile’s Constitutional Court [official website, in Spanish] on Monday approved legislation that would legalize abortion in certain circumstances. The bill, approved [JURIST report] by the Chilean Congress [official website, in Spanish] earlier this month, would allow abortions in instances of rape, threat to the mother’s health, and fetal abnormality “incompatible with life.” President Michelle Bachelet had pledged to sign the bill into law, but conservative lawmakers challenged its constitutionality. Before Monday’s ruling, Chile was one of a few nations where abortion was illegal in all instances.

Abortion remains a contentious issue around the world. In June the UN Human Rights Committee [official website] found [JURIST report] that Ireland must remedy harm done to a woman in 2010 after denying her an abortion. The Delaware legislature [official website] approved a bill [JURIST report] in June that guarantees access to abortion.