An 85-page report was released yesterday by Human Rights Watch concerning the serious restrictions on reproductive rights that women have faced in Argentina, and the problems that they continue to endure.
By law, one of the most common and effective forms of contraception -- sterilization -- often requires a husband’s consent. Yes, seriously. Many hospitals also require that a women have at least three children and be over the age of 35 to be eligible for the procedure.
Some that that even “pass the test” are refused. One woman, Laura P., has had five children by the age of 35 and was seeking the procedure due to poor health. “In the hospital they set up every possible obstacle. The head of the hospital told me that it was the same as having an abortion.” She appealed to a court and was still denied, despite the fact that she fulfilled all of the ridiculous requirements.
Additionally, abortion is illegal in Argentina. Yet because of these restrictions and lack of access to birth control, there’s an estimated half a million abortions performed annually. This is through unsafe and unregulated clinics or women who choose to attempt to abort the pregnancies themselves, which threatens their health and lives.
An whopping 40% of all pregnancies in Argentina is estimated to end in illegal abortions. This has also been the cause of maternal mortality in the country for the past two decades.
LaShawn R. Jefferson, the Women’s Rights director at Human Rights Watch had much to say:
"Argentina's restrictive abortion laws have a devastating effect on women's human rights, their health and lives...And the worst thing is that these effects are almost entirely preventable...These laws and practices effectively treat women like minors.”
I would even say that’s a nice word to use in this case.
To read the whole report, click here.
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This is not to suggest that the situation in Argentina is less then poor. I would like to point out that obtaining permission from a spouse for sterilization is not out of the ordinary. I live in Virginia (USA) and when I went for my sterilization consultation, I was informed that I would need my wife's permission. I stated that I was not married. In discussions with doctors and some lawyer friends after my little "snip snip" adventure. I would have to say that "permission" is one way to look at it, but another way is "acknowledgment".
It's ridiculous to have a permission standard. If your relationship with your spouse is unhealthy enough that you can't share that, forcing disclosure isn't going to fix it. I don't want people who can't communicate having *more* kids, for god's sake.
On top of that, in a lot of places, having many children is a sign of a man's virility, whether he can afford it or not. The women have to be secretive or they might get hurt. That's not a choice they should have to make.
I live in Argentina and what the article says is not entirely true.
Personal opinions aside, let me tell you that yes, abortion is forbidden. We are one of the few countries left that states in their constitution that we believe life begins with the conception (our country embraces catholicism), and therefore, from that moment onwards, that human being has many rights, one of them, the right of living. That is why abortion is forbidden and is considered murder. However there are some situations where a woman can go to court and get a permission to get one.
Regarding sterilization procedures, it is not true that you are forced to have X amount of babies before you get one, or many other things stated there.
However, when you are married there is a very simple explanation why they need the husband consent: once again, we embrace catholicism, which states that the most important objective of the holy union is to create a family, which involves reproduction. In fact, the lack of possibilities of conceiving is one of the reasons that church accepts for marriage annulment. Why did I explain all this? Cos under this conception it is very clear why both parties in a marriage have to agree when it comes to a procedure that will annul any future chance of having a kid.
Please notice that I have not offended anyone, so if anyone feels like expressing their feelings towards my comments, I ask you politely to do like I did: with respect.
I do not want to convince anyone to think otherwise, this is just for you to undertand the basis of the things that happen here.
It is not like we are just a poor fucked up country and that is why behave so irrational.
Clauz
PS: The feelings among the population towards abortion are quiet mixed: some want it to be legal and some dont.