Argentina’s First Step Towards Justice for Women

Washington, DC – Last night, the Argentinian chamber of deputies voted to liberalize their abortion laws. Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, said:

“We congratulate the Argentinian chamber of deputies and the Argentinian people for taking a historic first step towards justice for women.  For too long, Argentina’s strict abortion law has unfairly punished women, especially poor women.

As Ireland, and Chile before it, have demonstrated—Catholics can be and often are prochoice. And indeed Catholic majority countries can and often do support legislation for safe and legal abortion. Catholics revere individual conscience and support policies that allow all women—especially those without power and privilege—to make their own moral decisions about their bodies safely and freely.

Today, Argentina’s deputies and its people join the chorus of those who trust women and respect their right to choose. Let us hope that the Argentinean Senate will listen to the will of the people and move this legislation and this historic debate forward.”

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