On Thursday 28 May, feminist activists planned a series of virtual events to mark 15 years of their campaign to legalise abortion in their home country of Argentina. Tara Pilkington brings you the latest.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Currently, abortion is illegal in Argentina and can result in jail except in instances of rape or if a mother’s health or life is at risk.
- In March, Argentina was on the verge of a major shift when President Alberto Fernández unveiled a bill to legalise abortion, the first time such an initiative would come from a sitting president in the country.
- The bill was never formally introduced as the government focused on the coronavirus.
- As the national congress is now back in virtual session, Fernández has said the bill is ready to go.
- A government source has said it was not possible to say when exactly it would be presented in Congress because of the Covid-19 emergency, but added: “It will still be this year.”
- The pandemic has not only altered the government’s timeline; it has forced the feminist movement to rethink how it agitates for change during a quarantine.
- During the lockdown, campaigners have been meeting with legislators, holding virtual education sessions on the campaign, and mobilizing to ensure women can access the healthcare they need during the quarantine.
