The Guardian: ‘Thousands’ of young girls denied abortion after rape in Argentina
“The lives of thousands of girls in Argentina are being put at risk as legal abortions are delayed and obstructed by doctors trying to force pregnancies to full term. … According to the latest government figures, 2,493 live births in 2017 were to girls under 15. Many such pregnancies are the result of rape by family members. More than 91,500 births were to girls aged 15 to 19. The World Health Organization has found that complications in pregnancy and childbirth are the biggest killers of 15- to 19-year-old girls. … The problem is compounded by the hold of the Catholic church and conservatives who advocate a policy of ‘save both lives.’ The motto serves as a rallying cry for a growing number of anti-abortion campaigners since Argentina’s congress rejected a bill to legalize abortion last year…” (Goñi, 3/5).