Congress is campaigning against the right of pregnant children to legal abortion. Not even electoral interest seems to explain this cruelty. After all, according to Datafolha, 58% of Brazilians believe that the law on this topic should remain as it is (34%), include more permissions (17%) or that abortion should be decriminalized (7%).
The Penal Code allows this procedure in cases of danger to the woman’s life, anencephaly of the fetus, rape, and any sexual relationship with a minor under the age of 14 is considered rape.
According to the World Health Organization, Brazil’s birth rate for girls aged 10-14 per 1,000 women in 2023 is 2.4, which is higher than the world average (1.5). In the northern region of the country, the index (4.7) is higher than that of Sub-Saharan Africa (4.4), which is the worst in the world.
In 2024, the victim was younger than 14 years old in 61% of rapes, and these children have difficulty safely terminating the pregnancy – in 2021, only 8% of 1,556 abortion-related hospital admissions in the 10- to 14-year-old age group occurred for reasons permitted by law.
For this reason, the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents has established, through a resolution, service protocols that facilitate access to abortion for minors. But on Thursday (5), the Chamber approved a decree to cancel the decision, which does not change the current law.
The bill goes to the Senate, where other foolish proposals are processed. It is possible to prevent miscarriage by telemedicine (using medications), even if the World Health Organization shows that this method is safe; Another prohibits abortion after 22 weeks of pregnancy in cases of rape and anencephaly.
Now, cases after 22 weeks only occur due to the state’s inefficiency in guaranteeing this right, and in general, it is poor girls who take longer to acknowledge their pregnancy and seek help. Problems that telemedicine and Konanda can solve.
Representatives and Senators should feel ashamed of their actions against the physical and mental health of raped children. This terrible cycle of violence must be stopped, not perpetuated.
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