PHA-Exch> Nicaragua: New Abortion Ban Puts Women's Lives at Risk

[Marcy Bloom]

<http://lists.hrea.org/phplist/ut.php?u=6f8769fdb021c4c2d49c65596a02d78f&m=6
088> 

President Ortega Should Show Leadership by Protecting Women's Lives 

(Managua, October 2, 2007) - Nicaragua's blanket ban on abortion, which
criminalizes life-saving medical treatment, has had a devastating impact on
women's health and lives, Human Rights Watch said today in the first-ever
report on the human rights consequences of the ban, which was enacted in
November 2006. 

The new report, "Over Their Dead Bodies," documents how this ban on abortion
has made women afraid to seek even legal health services. Fearing
prosecution under the new law, doctors are unwilling to provide necessary
care. The report is based on interviews with officials, doctors from the
public and private health systems, women in need of health services, and
family members of women who died as a result of the ban. 

"Doctors in Nicaragua are now afraid to provide even legal health services
to pregnant women," said Angela Heimburger, Americas researcher at Human
Rights Watch's Women's Rights Division. "Some testified that personnel at
public hospitals refused women and girls adequate care after devastating
miscarriages, with direct reference to the ban." 

In December, one month after Congress enacted the ban during a hotly
contested presidential election, the Ministry of Health responded by issuing
detailed mandatory protocols on emergency obstetric care, including
guidelines for medical treatment after illegal abortions. Ministry officials
admit that they have received complaints of delay or denial of health
services since the ban was implemented. 

However, the report reveals that the President Daniel Ortega's government so
far has not studied the health effects of the ban on abortion. The
government also does not appear to have investigated or sanctioned health
professionals who do not implement the mandatory protocols. 

"President Ortega should immediately help mitigate the disastrous effects of
this ban by prioritizing pregnant women's access to emergency medical care,"
said Heimburger. "Nicaragua's president needs to reassure women they will
not be punished for trying to stay alive. At the same time, he should
aggressively promote public awareness and access to services." 

Before this ban, Nicaragua's penal code allowed abortions when a woman's
life was at risk. This new law intentionally denies women access to health
services essential to saving their lives, and is thus inconsistent with
Nicaragua's obligations under international human rights law to ensure
women's right to life. 

Human Rights Watch Press release

 

HREA - www.hrea.org

Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) is an international
non-governmental organisation that supports human rights learning; the
training of activists and professionals; the development of educational
materials and programming; and community-building through on-line
technologies.



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