WESTERN NATIONS PRESSURE NICARAGUA ON ABORTION LAWS
AT UN
At the session of the UN Nations Human Rights Council which concluded
at the end of March, Nicaragua underwent the Universal Periodic Review
(UPR). This is an opportunity for the UNHRC - an inter-governmental UN
body made up of 47 States responsible for addressing situations of human
rights violations and making recommendations on them - to examine the
human rights record of all member states. (Each country is reviewed every
four years.)
Nicaragua came up against intense and concerted international pressure
from UN member states, UN agencies and NGOs over the abortion ban the
Latin American country’s National Assembly adopted unanimously into
law four years ago - and this despite providing evidence that the prohibition
on abortion has helped lower maternal mortality rates.
As part of its UPR, Nicaragua defended its pro-life legislation reporting
that “legal amendments reflected the exercise of sovereignty, and
had been adopted by the parliamentary majority in the national assembly.”
Nicaragua stated that the abortion ban was “an issue of sovereignty,
not a religious one” as “the majority of Nicaraguans believed
that the right to life of the unborn was important.”
Countering criticisms previously issued against the ban by members of
the international community, Nicaragua reported that many cases had been
brought before the Supreme Court to challenge the constitutionality of
the amendment, and decisions are still pending. Medical staff are not
forbidden to provide medical care when the life of a mother is in danger.
Prior to Nicaragua's UPR appearance, Amnesty International (AI) launched
a campaign calling on other countries to pressure Nicaragua to repeal
the abortion ban. The AI campaign argued that "UN member states should
take this opportunity to hold Nicaragua to account for a law that violates
women's right to life, health and dignity." However, no UN treaty
mentions abortion and there is no binding human rights obligation to allow
abortions. Members of the committees charged with overseeing state compliance
to the treaties have taken it upon themselves to attach a "right
to abortion" to countries “international obligations”.
(From C-fam.org )
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