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In 2008, the Central-American country of Nicaragua passed a law that made abortion illegal, even in cases of rape and incest, and even when the pregnancy threatened the life of the mother. Doctors could face prison sentences even for providing information related to abortion.
Now, Change.org is sponsoring a petition to reverse this incredibly dangerous law. The petition highlights the story of a woman they call Amelia.
A pregnant 27-year old Nicaraguan woman, "Amelia," with metastatic cancer has been denied medical treatment on the grounds that it might harm her baby.
Amelia has effectively been handed a death sentence by her government. Each day she is denied treatment, she edges closer to death; in a tragic irony, she will most likely die before the baby is even born. Her 10-year old daughter will be left without a mother, since the Nicaraguan government values the life of an unborn fetus over that of a mother.
Most Amplify readers do not live in Nicaragua, but that does not mean that our voices are irrelevant to this issue. We have already made an impact in the global rejection of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that Uganda has proposed. We can do the same here. If you want to take action to help the women of Nicaragua, I would encourage you to add your name to Change.org’s petition.
Nicaraguan doctors are prohibited from treating pregnant women with cancer, HIV/AIDS, malaria and cardiac diseases…
We cannot view the world’s women through an “us versus them” lens. A law that harms Nicaraguan women hurts all women. We have to stand up for our sisters no matter what country they live in. We are women of the world. Empowering women in one country empowers women in all countries. And, allowing women in one country to die just because they’re pregnant, implies that to do so in another country is alright as well.
~ Samantha
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