Mexico’s Supreme Court has ruled that a federal law criminalizing abortion is unconstitutional, allowing the federal healthcare system to provide abortion services. The highest court in Mexico had already declared in 2021 that criminal penalties for abortion were unconstitutional, but that ruling only applied to the state of Coahuila. Since then, the other states and the federal government have been slow to repeal their abortion laws.
However, on Wednesday, the court sided with abortion rights groups in a challenge to the federal penal code and declared that the section of the national law criminalizing abortion could no longer be enforced. This decision paves the way for the federal healthcare system to offer abortion services, which could become more important as Mexico considers centralizing healthcare services.
The Information Group on Reproductive Choice (GIRE), an abortion rights legal advocacy group, celebrated the decision on social media. According to GIRE, “With this decision of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, federal health institutions in the whole country will have to offer abortion services to women and people of gestational capacity who request it.”
The National Secretary of Health, which oversees federal health services, has not yet commented on the ruling. Last month, Aguascalientes became the twelfth Mexican state to decriminalize abortion when the Supreme Court supported GIRE in a similar case challenging the state’s penal code.
The ruling by the Supreme Court is a significant step towards expanding access to safe and legal abortion in Mexico. It is expected to have a positive impact on reproductive rights and healthcare services in the country.
This decision aligns with the global trend towards decriminalizing abortion and ensuring the reproductive rights of women. Abortion rights advocates hope that it will lead to greater acceptance and support for reproductive choice in Mexico.
However, there are likely to be continued debates and challenges from anti-abortion groups and conservative factions who oppose the legalization of abortion. It is important for the Mexican government and society to actively work towards destigmatizing abortion and providing comprehensive reproductive healthcare.
The ruling sets a precedent for the remaining states in Mexico to review and reconsider their own abortion laws. It is crucial for the government to prioritize the protection of women’s rights and ensure access to safe and legal abortion services across the country.
Mexico joins a growing list of countries that have taken steps towards advancing reproductive rights and gender equality. This ruling marks a significant victory for the women’s rights movement in Mexico and sets an example for other nations.
Reporting by Gabriella Borter; Editing by Aurora Ellis
Credit: The Star : News Feed
