UN Human Rights Committee Denounces Nicaragua's Abortion Laws

By Karla E General
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - The Nicaraguan Government came under fire last week for their blanket ban on abortion when the United Nation's Human Rights Committee (HRC) met in Geneva.

Nicaragua's National Assembly enacted the comprehensive ban on abortion - even "therapeutic" abortions - during the 2006 presidential campaign, becoming just the third country in the world to do so (after Chile and El Salvador). The current law subjects pregnant girls and women and the healthcare professionals who assist them, with up to fourteen years in prison. Critics have denounced the policy as violating Nicaragua's obligations under international law because it threatens women's and girl's rights to life, health, equality, privacy, physical integrity, and freedom of religion and conscience: "International law prohibits bans on abortion because such restrictions deny women their basic rights to life and health. Nicaragua's abortion ban is an affront to international standards - and Nicaragua's women" - Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch.

The HRC is the monitoring body for the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and meets three times per year to review countries' progress in implementing the international treaty. Experts on the Committee questioned Nicaraguan representatives as they presented their third report detailing progress in implementing the ICCPR. The HRC was especially curious how Nicaragua could ban abortion if it were a secular state, a question to which the Nicaraguan delegation responded: "If the population desired to have abortion policy changed, it could be done via the political process."

Though the HRC has been criticized for overstepping its mandate and reading a right to abortion into the ICCPR (the international treaty is silent on abortion), Nicaragua's abortion laws have been subject to even greater criticism by many government officials, human rights groups, and UN agencies. The Swedish government, in opposition to Nicaragua's abortion ban, even severed aid to the Central American country earlier this year. 

For a detailed report by Human Rights Watch regarding Nicaragua's abortion ban, click here.    

For more information, please see:

Human Rights Watch - Nicaragua: Blanket Ban on Abortion Harms Women - 31 August 2007

Spero News - Sandinista Nicaragua Pressured on Abortion - 23 October 2008

One World - Nicaraguan President 'Repressing' Rights Groups - 24 October 2008

Comments

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