Mobilizing for Abortion Rights in Latin America

The past decade has seen sweeping changes in terms of reproductive rights in Latin America. This Element explains how feminist social movements have transformed the politics of abortion in Latin America.

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The past decade has seen sweeping changes in terms of reproductive rights in Latin America. Argentina and Uruguay have fully legalized abortion in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy. Some countries, like Chile, have loosened restrictions; others like El Salvador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic have maintained or even tightened some of the most punitive abortion laws in the world. Abortion rights even vary within countries—in Mexico, the practice has been fully legal in certain states, and punishable with jail time in others. This Element explains how feminist social movements have transformed the politics of abortion in Latin America.