[ad_1]
The women screamed with joy, hugged each other and jumped in sheer ecstasy.
For now, abortion is a legal right in Argentina.
The law change was approved by the Senate last night, with 38 votes to 29. One vote was abstained.
This makes Argentina the third country in South America, the largest in the world so far, to legalize abortion.
– I am very excited. There are no words to describe how the body feels after fighting for something for so long. I cried a lot, Melany Marcati, 25, told The Guardian after the news.
Protesters celebrate in Buenos Aires.
Photo: VICTOR CAIVANO / AP TT NEWS AGENCY
Photo: JUAN IGNACIO RONCORONI / EPA / TT / EPA TT NEWS AGENCY
“Today we are a better society”
Argentina’s grassroots movement for women’s rights has been demonstrating en masse for five years to finally see the battle win. In 2015, it began with a spontaneous march after Chiara Páez, 14, was found buried under her boyfriend’s house. She had been murdered and she was a couple of months pregnant.
2018 came the reverse. The Senate voted against a similar change in the law, following pressure from the Catholic Church, The Guardian reports.
When legalization was approved on Wednesday, it was despite the position of the Church and the Pope.
The current Pope Francis comes from Argentina and tried unsuccessfully to avoid changing the law.
The country’s president, Alberto Fernández, has promised to sign the law in the coming days. Then it becomes legal to have an abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. In some exceptions, the abortion can be performed even after that.
“Today we are a better society that expands women’s rights and guarantees public health“He writes on Twitter.
