Colombia’s abortive laws
In Colombia, women can be imprisoned for up to four-and-a-half years for having abortions, even in cases of rape or when their lives are at risk, says Human Rights Watch. In a brief to Colombia’s Constitutional Court in June this year, the US-based NGO says that the country’s penal sanctions for abortion are inconsistent with international human rights obligations and should be declared unconstitutional. Colombia’s law prohibits abortion in all circumstances. Yet an estimated 450,000 abortions occur every year in Colombia. Recent studies indicate that a higher proportion of adolescent girls than adult women undergo the illegal procedure: a leading cause of maternal mortality.
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Voices from the margins:
Multimedia: video, podcasts, and more.
- Poetry Slam in Zimbabwe
- The House of Hunger poetry slam held in Zimbabwe in 2006, and organised by the Pamberi Trust, showcased young artists performing inspirational work on issues from corporate power to child soldiers. The video features four of the poets.
Published by Pambazuka News.
- Iranian women speak out
- 3 March 2007, London. Women's rights activists marched through the English capital last week to celebrate International Women's Day with a protest against the misogyny of the Islamic regime in Iran and the threat of invasion by the US. Hear the voices of Iranian feminists Azar and Leila Parnian and the sounds of the demonstration as it passed through the heart of the city. Click here to learn more about the campaign.
Produced by Heidi Bachram.
- Raised Voices audio:
- Benny from West Papua on Corporate Power
- Vinayan from India on agriculture
