Dear Honorable Legislators of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador:
Human rights defenders, social movements, women and men are raising their voices calling on the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador to take urgent action to revise Article 133 of the Criminal Code, in order to allow the legal interruption of pregnancy under specific circumstances NOW, before the end of this legislative session.
Since 1997 women, adolescents, and girls in El Salvador have not had the option to terminate a pregnancy that puts their health or life at risk. Citizens demand that Article 133 of the Criminal Code be changed to allow for abortion i) when the pregnancy puts the life or health of the woman at risk; ii) when there is no possibility of survival for the fetus outside the uterus; iii) when the pregnancy results from sexual violence or trafficking in persons; and iv) in cases of rape of women or minors.
During the last 20 years, due to the absolute prohibition of all abortions, many women have died due to obstetric complications or have suffered serious health problems because they did not have the option of interrupting a pregnancy to safeguard their lives and health. The absolute criminalization is institutional violence and a form of torture against girls and women.
Salvadoran legislators have the power to guarantee the right to health and life for girls and women.
Legislators must listen to the citizens who are calling for the revision of Article 133 of the Criminal Code, and to the recommendations for change made by multiple international organizations.
The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador in 2007 and again in 2017 instructed the Legislative Assembly to resolve the collision of rights that may occur between the pregnant woman and the fetus, given that the rights of one should not prevail absolutely over the rights of the other.
In order to support a deeper construction of democracy and human rights for women, girls and adolescents in El Salvador, we urge the Legislative Assembly to listen to the Salvadoran voices calling for the decriminalization of abortion NOW!
Please join our efforts by the signing this petition!
We invite you to join our initiative so that Salvadoran legislators listen to our call to decriminalize abortion NOW! Please act!
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