- Title: Ecuadorans march for legalised abortion after setback in Congress
- Date: 28th September 2019
- Summary: QUITO, ECUADOR (SEPTEMBER 28, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN IN FAVOUR OF LEGALISED ABORTION CHANTING DURING PROTEST VARIOUS OF WOMEN IN TRADITIONAL DRESS AT MARCH WOMEN CHANTING AT PROTEST VARIOUS OF PEOPLE MARCHING FOR LEGALISED ABORTION WOMAN BREASTFEEDING DURING MARCH PROTESTER WITH MESSAGE ON HER BACK THAT READS (Spanish) "FREE ABORTION" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, SANDRA RODRIGUEZ, SAYING: "Clandestine abortions are risky and are fatal. They are linked to poverty, internal displacement, the lack of access to health and secular education. (Victims) are poor women, of a particular racial background, migrants, the displaced, disabled girls and women. They are the ones who are most exposed to clandestine abortions and death. That is why we don't want to go back. We refuse to accept (this situation) in a country like ours, of religion having its role in our laws." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS THROWING GREEN PAINTBALLS AT GOVERNMENT BUILDING PROTESTERS GATHERED OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT BUILDING PROTESTER SPRAYPAINTING ON GROUND NUN SITTING ON BUS THAT HAS BEEN GRAFFITIED WITH MESSAGE (Spanish) "LEGAL ABORTION, NOW"
- Embargoed: 12th October 2019 23:39
- Keywords: legalised abortion International Safe Abortion Day Quito Ecuador protesters women
- Location: QUITO, ECUADOR
- City: QUITO, ECUADOR
- Country: Ecuador
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001AYKLQ9Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS PARTIAL NUDITY IN SHOT 5
Ecuadorians marched on the capital on Quito on Saturday (September 28) to mark International Safe Abortion Day, just weeks after lawmakers voted down a motion that would have eased abortion laws in rape cases.
Abortions are illegal in Ecuador, except under two circumstances: If the life of the pregnant woman is at risk or if the pregnancy is the result of the rape of a woman with mental disabilities.
In January, Ecuador's national assembly began to debate a bill on decriminalising abortion in cases of rape, incest and forced artificial insemination. But earlier this month the motion was shut down with just 65 lawmakers in favour, just short of five votes needed for it to pass.
Ecuador's current abortion laws have been in place since 1938 and on International Safe Abortion Day these protesters are calling for change.
Women's rights groups argue that the outlawing of abortion affects working class women the most. Poorer women are forced to seek out backstreet abortions which can lead to complications, infections and death.
Unsafe abortions accounted for 15.6 percent of all deaths in Ecuador in 2014, the fifth biggest cause of mortality for women and the third largest cause of maternal deaths, said the Ministry of Health in a study released in 2017.
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