Paraguay march poised to draw record crowd after 10-year-old denied abortion
Paraguay march poised to draw record crowd after 10-year-old denied abortion
As authorities insist child rape victim must give birth, hundreds are expected to protest sexual abuse in Asunción: ‘Her case is emblematic’
Jonathan Watts, Latin America correspondent and Sarah Boseley, Health editor
Thursday 28 May 2015 07.00 EDT
Fury over Paraguayan authorities’ refusal to allow an abortion for a 10-year-old rape victim is expected to bring unprecedented numbers of pro-choice protesters to the streets of the country’s capital, Asunción, this week.
The case has prompted outcry around the world and prompted a national debate about the prevalence of child abuse and underage pregnancies.
But that debate has focused more on adult violence than on child health. And while many have called for tougher penalties for adults who abuse minors, few expect any change in the Catholic country’s strict abortion laws.
Despite a plea from the girl’s mother, Paraguayan authorities have ruled that the 10-year-old who is now 25 weeks into the pregnancy must give birth, unless she develops complications that put her life in danger. A medical panel is monitoring her condition.
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/28/paraguay-abortion-child-rape-protest
