Legalizing Abortion in Latin America

Abortion rights advocates in Latin America have seen a “Green Wave” of victories recently, with Mexico and Colombia’s Supreme Courts decriminalizing abortion in 2021 and 2022. The Marea Verde or Green Wave pro-abortion movement started in Argentina in the 2000s, but, said Alicia Ely Yamin, Senior Scholar in Residence at GHELI, the women’s rights movement in Latin America has been fighting for legalized abortion for decades.

In October, the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School brought together Justices Alfredo Gutierrez Ortiz Mena of the Supreme Court of Mexico and Natalia Ángel Cabo of the Constitutional Court of Colombia in a panel to speak about the landmark rulings and the movements leading up to them. The event also featured a presentation from Mary Ziegler, Professor of Law at UC Davis, who contributed commentary on how the U.S. compares to these countries.

Yamin reflected on her experience working with women’s rights groups in Latin America during her introduction and opening remarks. Abortion advocates have long worked toward promoting health and human rights in Latin American policy. These rulings represent a significant step forward for those who need it most.

The event was sponsored by the Global Health and Rights Project, a collaboration between the Incubator, the Petrie-Flom Center, and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University.

Read the full story in The Harvard Gazette.