about ipas
newsroom
what we do
where we work
products
publications
contact

August 4, 2005
Woman at window
Under Brazil’s current law, more than a million women put their lives and health at risk to seek unsafe abortions.
Photo courtesy of Betty Press / Panos Pictures
Around the world, nations are responding to alarming death rates from unsafe abortion by reforming the restrictive laws that prevent women from getting safe abortion care. Brazil is the latest to join these ranks: On August 2, Ipas Brazil and the Brazilian Special Secretariat for Women’s Affairs convened an international seminar in Brasilia on abortion law reform.

The seminar brought together members of the Tripartite Commission (a public-private body created to examine Brazil’s abortion laws), international experts on abortion law reform, feminists, lawyers, doctors and legislators. Speakers included Dr. Leila Adesse, Director of Ipas Brazil; Dr. Jorge Andalaft, obstetrician-gynecologist and member of the Tripartite Commission; and Maria Laura Sales, Vice Minister for the Special Secretariat for Women’s Affairs. Several international speakers shared experiences with legal reform in other parts of the world, including South Africa, Colombia, Uruguay and other parts of Latin America.

Under the current law in Brazil, more than a million women every year put their lives and health at risk to seek an unsafe abortion.

“Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality in Brazil,” said Dr. Leila Adesse, Director of Ipas Brazil. “Unsafe abortion has a high cost not only for the lives of women, but also for our health system—last year the public-health service spent BRL36 million [US$15.5 million] just treating complications from unsafe abortion. Under the current government, we can no longer afford to shoulder this type of expense.”

Brazil’s Penal Code includes only two indications for legal abortion: when the woman’s life is threatened and for pregnancy as a result of rape. Due to such restrictions, the majority of abortions occur clandestinely and in unsafe conditions.

“Women in Brazil should be able to determine their future, take care of their lives and their families and control their own fertility,” said Maria Laura Sales, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Women's Affairs. “Unsafe abortion is a human-rights issue. We need courage and responsibility to reform the legislation so that it meets women’s needs.”

After several months of meeting and review, the Tripartite Commission has drafted new legislation that would eliminate criminal penalties for those seeking abortions and make abortion legal through the first trimester. Participants at the seminar called on the government to take up this proposed legislation in Parliament.

“No woman with an unwanted pregnancy should have to risk her life or health because she does not have any other option,” said Dr. Adesse.

For more information, contact:
Kirsten Sherk
Senior Associate, Media Relations
e-mail: sherkk@ipas.org
phone: 919.960.5612
fax: 919.929.0258