Chile plans bill to relax ban on abortions

Chile plans bill to relax ban on abortions
Source: Reuters - Thu, 22 May 2014 07:39 PM

SANTIAGO, May 22 (Reuters) - Chile, one of a handful of the world's countries that outlaws abortion in all cases, will debate a bill this year that seeks to relax the ban in certain circumstances, a government spokesman said on Thursday.

President Michelle Bachelet, who returned to the helm of the South American country in March after a spell heading the United Nations gender equality body UN Women, had pledged a change in the law ahead of her election.

The new Chilean bill does not contemplate fully legalizing abortion but will seek to allow it when there is danger to the mother's life, in the case of rape and when the fetus could not survive.

Such a rule would bring socially conservative Chile in line with much of the rest of Latin America. In the largely Catholic region, most countries allow terminations for health-related issues only.

More:
http://www.trust.org/item/20140522193815-93osk/