Abortion is illegal in Brazil except when performed to save the mother’s life or in cases of rape. Due to the sensitive and illegal nature of the subject, estimating the number of abortions poses considerable methodological difficulties. Recent estimates, based on the number of women who are hospitalized for the treatment of abortion, calculate that 1.4 million clandestine abortions take place each year in Brazil, resulting in approximately 300,000 hospitalizations. Although the law has not changed since the 1940s, a heated debate has been taking place in Congress during the past 60 years. A stakeholders analysis and an examination of the 53 bills proposed during this time show a dramatic shift in the abortion debate in the 90s when not only was there a sharp increase in the number of bills presented but a shift towards less restrictive legislation. An evaluation of the distribution of abortion-related bills according to the arguments used by their authors reveals a shift from concerns about demographic growth in the 70s and 80s to an acceptance of abortion as a public health matter in the 90s. The current policy scenario is not conducive to fully decriminalizing abortion, however, a number of multisectoral measures can be taken in order to improve the situation of women in the country. Steps range from incremental legislative changes, such as revoking punishment for any woman who has an abortion, to broader policy recommendations such as increasing the participation of women in Parliament.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Abortion, Legislative
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.