Mexican court upholds anti-abortion ruling

Summary of story from Aljazeera, September 29, 2011

The Supreme Court in Mexico has upheld an amendment to the constitution of the state of Baja California that effectively bans abortion.

The anti-abortion amendment in the north western state says that life begins at conception.

This week’s ruling means the Supreme Court appeared to allow all of Mexico’s 31 states to allow their own rules on abortion, though the court has also agreed to review a similar amendment in the northern central state of San Luis Potosi.

Currently Mexico City is the only place in the country where women can have a legal abortion on demand during their first trimester.

Sixteen Mexican states severely restrict access to abortion, although most  allow the procedure in the case of rape or if the mother’s life is in danger.

Activists have warned that it will create two classes of women – those with money who can afford to travel to Mexico City, whilst those in rural areas who end up procuring illegal backstreet procedures that could prove fatal.

Mexico City’s governmental Human Rights Commission says upholding the amendment in Baja California will increase the risk of clandestine abortions.

It added: “”It is also very grave that a supposedly constitutional and democratic government like Mexico’s establishes different levels of human rights protection for women, depending in which state they live in”.