Human Rights Court rules against El Salvador in historic abortion case
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ruled against El Salvador for denying an abortion to a woman whose life was at risk, despite her pregnancy being unviable.
The woman, identified as "Beatriz," faced a high-risk pregnancy in 2013 when she was 22 years old. She suffered from lupus and kidney disease, and doctors cautioned that her condition could be fatal if the pregnancy continued.
Doctors also said the fetus was diagnosed as anencephalic, meaning it could not survive.
However, following El Salvador's strict abortion ban which prevented her from terminating the pregnancy, Beatriz carried the pregnancy to term, and the baby died five hours after being born via cesarean section.
The court said the Salvadoran government failed to protect Beatriz’s health and rights.
It described the case as "obstetric violence", highlighting how the country allowed legal and bureaucratic circumstances to delay her medical care.
The court has ordered the government to pay compensation and establish clearer guidelines for handling similar cases in the future. However, the government says it will review the ruling and its implications.
Abortion has been banned in El Salvador since 1998, with severe penalties for those who break the law.
Meanwhile, women's rights groups in the country have hailed the court’s decision as a victory.
Lawyer Angelica Rivas said, "Justice has triumphed. This is a historic day for reproductive rights."
