Abbey824
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Nicaragua has a ban on all abortion, including in cases of where life and health of a woman is in danger. The ban comes with potential jail time for both women and health professionals and is one of the most extreme in the world.
As someone who works with women and girls seeking abortions everyday it is no surprise to me, then, that Amnesty International recently released a report with a damning critique of the ban, saying that it is hurting and even killing women.
The report has found that health professionals are passing around women whose health are in danger, because they do not want to be liable for providing an illegal abortion, but they do not want to be liable for deaths either. It is a lose-lose situation for all involved and does nothing to help Nicaragua's previous commitment to lower the rate of maternal mortality.
It is classic example of why seeing the abortion issue as black and white is so problematic: abortion is an important piece of healthcare for women, and without proper healthcare, women die. At least 33 women in Nicaraqua have died from pregnancy complications this year (up from last year). This is probably a low number as many of these things do not get reported, and it does not include women and girls who had non-fatal health complications.
Want to fight for the rights of women and girls in Nicaraqua? Amnesty International and Feministing suggest going here to write a letter to the President of the National Assembly in Nicaraqua asking him to lift the ban.
