Total criminalisation of abortion is a threat to sexual and reproductive health in Brazil
The proposed constitutional amendment would be a massive setback for reproductive rights and health in Brazil, write Michelle Fernandez , Luísa Fernandes , and Melania de Amorim In Brazil, a proposed constitutional amendment is currently being discussed in the National Congress, aiming to criminalise abortion in the country entirely.1 It stipulates prison sentences for women who undergo the procedure, ranging from 6 to 20 years, regardless of the circumstances. The proposal equates abortion with the crime of homicide. The suggested penalties for abortion are harsher than those currently imposed on rapists, who face a maximum of 10 years in prison. The proposed amendment would threaten the reproductive rights and health of women in Brazil, and directly affect their dignity and autonomy. Abortion remains illegal in Brazil except in three specific circumstances: pregnancies resulting from rape, cases where the woman’s life is at …
