The Supreme Court in Mexico has decriminalized abortion nationwide. In a public statement the High Court said that the criminalization of abortion is unconstitutional as it violates human rights:
“Criminalization of abortion constitutes an act of gender-based violence and discrimination, as it perpetuates the stereotype that women and people with the capacity to get pregnant can only freely exercise their sexuality to procreate and reinforces the gender role that imposes motherhood as a compulsory destiny.”
Mexican Supreme Court
This is positive news from a country which has gradually been removing criminal penalties for abortion state by state. The ruling should make abortion legally accessible in all federal health institutions. It also means that those providing abortion care cannot be prosecuted for doing so.
Of course, there is some way to go to ensure safe abortion is fully accessible to all in the country, but this is a major win for feminists and activists, including SAAF grantee partner Las Libres, mentioned in this New York Times article:
“Hopefully this will be the preamble so that the court, state by state, can help local congresses to practically eliminate the crime of abortion since legislators are not doing their job.”
Verónica Cruz, founder of Las Libres in Guanajuato, Mexico