24 April 2007: Mexico City Congress approves legalisation of abortion
Today (24 April 2007) Marie Stopes International welcomed a decision by the Mexico City Congress to approve a bill legalising abortion in the city. The organisation also encouraged other states in Mexico and the wider Latin American region to follow suit.
In Mexico alone, official figures suggest that each year more than 1400 women die each year from the consequences of unsafe abortion. Worldwide, there are more than 19 million unsafe abortions performed each year, resulting in the deaths of 68,000 women.
"Marie Stopes International deals with the appalling consequences of unsafe abortion in many of its centres around the world," said Michael Holscher, Director of External Relations at MSI. "This landmark decision by the Mexico City Congress will save thousands of women from preventable death or permanent injury. We are delighted that the bill has been passed despite overwhelming external pressure to preserve existing restrictions."
Press release