Sexual and reproductive rights in Latin America the Caribbean

Every year, 19 million unsafe abortions result in the deaths of 68,000 women. In fact, 49% of abortions worldwide are 'unsafe', either because abortion is illegal in the country or due to a lack of access to medical facilities. In 2015, 40% of women of reproductive age lived in countries where abortion is restricted or inaccessible. In Latin America and the Caribbean, abortion is still subject to bans or numerous barriers to access (physical, economic, geographical, religious, cultural, etc.), and more broadly, to a general silence. Yet the issue of abortion is also part of a broader framework of development, the reduction of inequalities, and the universalisation of access to public healthcare for all. Although civil society initiatives in support of reproductive and sexual rights are encouraging, many barriers remain. This book examines the various laws governing access to abortion, as well as their origins and their consequences for women's health.