Mariposa DR Foundation’s Post

New eBook Alert: "De Marea a Tsunami" – The Legal Status of Abortion in the Americas I am thrilled to announce the release of a new eBook I have been a part of by Centro de Estudios de Política Internacional (CEPI) – "De Marea a Tsunami" – an in-depth exploration of the evolving legal landscape of abortion across the Americas. This comprehensive resource examines the significant shifts in abortion laws, from initial movements to landmark decisions, and looks at the ongoing challenges and victories throughout the region. Whether you're a policymaker, academic, or simply interested in the intersection of law and human rights, this eBook provides valuable insights into the topic. 🔗 Get Your eBook Today! https://lnkd.in/dWvFcqn2 Thanks to the co-authors Denise Sanviti (ella/she/her) Natalia Henao Tamayo Claudia Pekar Laleska Salgado Llanos Delfina Burone #NadiaRuiz Sol Zulli, the editor Amparo Agüero Solis and the support of the Director Luciana Micha #AbortionRights #HumanRights #LegalStatus #PublicPolicy #LatinAmerica #WomenRights #CentroDeEstudiosDePoliticaInternacional #eBook

[ENG] The approval of this law in Colombia would be an important step to protect girls' rights, but it is necessary to go beyond banning child marriage and question the structures that allow it. Poverty, racism, lack of access to education, and gender violence not only put many girls—especially Indigenous and Afro-descendant girls—in extreme vulnerability but also make them easy targets for older men who take advantage of these inequalities to force them into abusive relationships. Beyond child marriage or family agreements, these forms of exploitation can be more subtle and difficult to recognize. Many girls between 14 and 17 years old—an age where Colombian law considers they can "consent" to relationships—end up in abusive situations that do not seem like abuse. For example, some accept jobs as "helpers" or "caregivers", thinking they will do housework or take care of older adults, but they are treated as informal partners of adult men, with no way to refuse because they depend on them economically and emotionally. Other times, they enter unequal relationships, where the age and power difference turns "love" into a hidden form of exploitation. These cases can also appear as sponsorships or "economic protection," where an older man pays for the girl's expenses in exchange for her company. Since these relationships are not official, it is even harder for the girls to report them. Without solutions to these inequalities—such as free and quality education, access to sexual and reproductive health services, and strong community protection networks—this law could be only a symbolic step, with no real effect on those who need it the most. To end violence against girls, it is not enough to ban child marriage; it is urgent to eliminate the conditions that force them to accept any form of submission as their only way to survive.

Ending Child, Early, and Forced Marriages and Unions in Argentina 🎙️In an in-depth interview with journalist Estefania Verónica Santoro for Las12 (Página 12), Sofia Quiroga, our Strategic Partnerships and Advocacy Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, shares not only her personal story but also the findings and recommendations from the report Elimination of Child, Early, and Forced Marriages and Unions in Argentina: Legal Frameworks and Public Policies, developed in collaboration with CLADEM - Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres. 🌎 Child, early, and forced marriages and unions (CEFMU) are a severe violation of human rights that disproportionately affect women, girls, and adolescents worldwide. In Argentina, legal loopholes, such as allowing minors to marry with parental or judicial consent, perpetuate this harmful practice. 📖 The report highlights the urgent need to: ✅ Set the minimum age for marriage at 18 years without exceptions ✅ Address structural inequalities ✅ Promote education and public awareness to prevent CEFMU Drawing on her personal testimony and analysis, Sofía explains how child, early, and forced unions often act as survival strategies in contexts of poverty and violence. She emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach that combines legal reforms with public policies offering real alternatives for girls and adolescents. 📄 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dZh7yZgK 📥 Download the report: https://lnkd.in/dJnSRHZe #GirlsNotBrides #ChildMarriage #CEFMU #Argentina #WomensRights #GenderEquality #HumanRights

The growing trend of fast-tracking children into irreversible gender treatments has reached a disturbing level of absurdity. We are witnessing the medical community, which once swore to “do no harm,” now removing healthy body parts and administering life-altering treatments to minors without fully addressing the complex, underlying issues they may be facing. This is not healthcare; it’s a troubling sign of ideology overriding both medical ethics and common sense. Banning so-called “conversion therapy” and penalizing parents, healthcare professionals, and counselors who dare to question this pathway only amplifies the absurdity. These proposed laws, such as those now facing South Australians, criminalize those trying to protect children from potentially disastrous outcomes while turning a blind eye to the real abuse happening in gender clinics. Parents are threatened with fines and jail time for seeking balanced, careful approaches that do not immediately resort to drastic and irreversible procedures. Where is the rationale in penalizing those who simply want to give children the space and time to explore their identity without rushing into life-long medical commitments? This isn’t just a battle for parents’ rights or the sanctity of family; it’s a fight against a pervasive ideology that is increasingly silencing legitimate concerns about the long-term welfare of children. The absence of voices from parties like the Liberals in this matter is alarming. Family First stands as one of the few willing to challenge this lunacy head-on, pushing to protect vulnerable children from being caught up in a dangerous trend that medical professionals may look back on with regret. At its core, this issue is about safeguarding young people and ensuring they have access to genuine care and support, not simply funneling them into a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s time to confront the reality: cutting off healthy body parts and promoting irreversible treatments is not progressive; it’s a disturbing departure from the fundamental principle of protecting children.

This was our contribution to the ECD policy. You can read the report here 👇🏻

As a PhD student deeply invested in early childhood development, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve just begun exploring the second "Informe País" on the progress of early childhood policies in Peru, crafted by Copera Infancia with the support of Diálogo Interamericano. This insightful report promises to delve into the advancements and ongoing challenges in policies and actions aimed at Peruvian children, highlighting critical areas such as: Intersectoral Collaboration and Funding: Emphasizing the need for cohesive national policies supported by sustainable investments. Quality of Services: Addressing the importance of both structural and process quality in early childhood services. Measurement of Child Development: Showcasing updated tools and methods for comprehensive assessments. Collaboration and Alliances: Underlining the significance of multi-sectoral collaboration to enhance policy implementation. I highly recommend this report to fellow researchers, policymakers, and NGOs dedicated to early childhood development. It’s an invaluable resource that offers deep insights and actionable recommendations. #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment #EarlyChildhoodEducation #ChildhoodPolicy #Peru #Research #PhDStudent #ChildhoodAdvocacy #EducationPolicy #CoperaInfancia #DiálogoInteramericano

For immediate release: TransActual and Good Law Project take government to court over puberty blocker ban In partnership with the Good Law Project, today (18th June 2024), TransActual alongside an anonymous trans young person acting as Second Claimant have issued court proceedings against the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. This is in respect of her recent order to ban the provision of puberty blockers to young trans people. Russell-Cooke Solicitors and senior barristers David Lock KC, Jason Coppel KC, Rob Harland and Charles Bishop are acting on the legal challenge to the ban. We have applied for an urgent judicial review asking that the courts quash the ban on the grounds that the legislation is unlawful. Chay Brown, Director for Healthcare, said: "We have asked for an urgent hearing that will seek to quash the ban. "It is clear that this ban is having a devastating - and harmful - impact on young trans people and we do not believe that waiting is an option. “Having reviewed the case, and the arguments put forward by the secretary of state, we continue to be of the opinion that this ban was not properly introduced.” To contribute to the legal fund for this action, please go to the crowdfunding page established by the Good Law Project https://lnkd.in/ecdtXyWc Further Information For further information, contact jane fae on 07780 994646, or email jane@ozimek.co.uk You can read the pre-action letter here https://lnkd.in/eKFrWqMw #TransRights #Transgender #Trans #TransKids #NonBinary #TransActual #GoodLawProject #TransHealthcare

Family First will fight any attempt by the South Australian Labor Government to criminalise parents, counsellors, and health professionals who seek to steer children away from harmful gender clinics. The Labor Government’s proposed laws aim to ban so-called “conversion therapy,” which they claim is a form of abuse. But what they fail to acknowledge is the real abuse happening in child gender clinics, where children are fast-tracked into irreversible medical treatments without addressing underlying issues. These laws, already in place in states like Queensland, Victoria, and touted for NSW, threaten even parents with jail time for trying to protect their children from experimental gender treatments. According to South Australia’s Advertiser newspaper, “individuals who either try to take – or arrange to have someone taken – from the state for this purpose would face up to three years in jail, a fine of up to $15,000, or both”. This is despite some supposed protections which possibly water down SA’s version of “conversion therapy”. Counsellors, pastors and healthcare workers are at risk for doing their jobs—offering guidance and support to children who are confused about their gender. The proposed laws would be draconian, allowing complaints to be brought before the Equal Opportunity Commissioner, with significant penalties awaiting those who merely offer guidance that is different from radical gender ideology. These laws certainly put them under pressure to stay silent about the abuse of children. Where are the Liberals in this fight? They are missing in action, leaving families vulnerable to state overreach. Family First will fight these dangerous laws all the way to the next state election, due in 2026. Our message to South Australians is simple: we won’t stop until parents’ rights are protected and harmful gender ideology is driven out of school curriculum. Family First believes that the real danger comes from this ideology, not from parents or professionals trying to protect kids from harm. READ MORE: Go to the Family First Party website.

🌍 New Study on Conscientious Objection to Abortion in Argentina 📚 (Versión completa en español en comentarios.) I’m so excited to share a new report that I had the opportunity to work on since its inception in 2021: "The Misuse of Conscientious Objection: A Study on Conscientious Objection to Abortion in Argentina" by Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad (CEDES), REDAAS, ELA - Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género, in collaboration with El Gato y La Caja. The study examines how conscientious objection (CO) is being applied in the context of abortion services following the enactment of Argentina’s Law 27.610, which guarantees access to voluntary termination of pregnancy and post-abortion care. While the law grants healthcare professionals the right to conscientious objection, it also sets limits to ensure access to safe abortion services. Through a mixed methodology, combining documentary review of digital media sources, civil society reports, and government documents, with in-depth interviews with decision-makers, civil society activists, directors of medical services, and healthcare professionals, the study identified more than 200 cases of abortion denial due to CO since the enactment of Law 27.610 up until 2023, highlighting troubling patterns in both individual and institutional denials. Some key findings include: - 136 individual denials: In more than half of these cases, CO was misused, leading to illegal practices such as lack of referrals, mistreatment of patients, or CO being invoked by those who were not authorized to do so, as they were not directly involved in providing the abortion. - 87 institutional denials: This occurred because all medical personnel claimed conscientious objection (which is only allowed in private institutions and only if they have defined referral mechanisms), or because institutional CO was declared (despite it being illegal under Argentine law). The study reveals how these denials are creating barriers to access, forcing women in some regions to travel over 200 kilometers to obtain the care they are legally entitled to. For those interested, the full text of the study is available in Spanish here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dyrcuPW4 A big thank you to my amazing collaborators without whom this project would never have come to light: Agustina Ramón Michel, Agustina Santomaso, Eva Panaro, and everyone at CEDES, REDAAS, and Equipo ELA. #ReproductiveRights #AbortionAccess #ConscientiousObjection #HealthLaw #Argentina #HumanRights

In Youth Month, we are focusing on youth matters. During these days, the Puerto Rico senate has approved a new regulation concerning abortion for minors aged 15 years or younger with the passing of Senate Bill 495. Here are the key points of the regulation: Parental Consent: At least one parent must give informed consent and be present during the termination of the pregnancy. Department of Family Referral: The case will be referred to the Department of Family for further support and guidance even with parental consent. Exception for Abuse: If the minor claims the pregnancy was caused by a parent or legal guardian, the clinic must perform the abortion without the requirement of the parent's presence. The case will also be referred to the Department of Family. Protection Against Coercion: Forcing a minor to have an abortion through force, threat, or coercion will be considered a criminal offense, punishable by a fixed term of three years in prison. Legislative Progress: The vote concluded with 19 in favor and six against. The bill will now move to the House of Representatives for consideration. Stay informed. https://lnkd.in/eSfUzZ78