By Zoila Palma: The Belize Family Life Association (BFLA) is calling for changes to Belize’s abortion laws, arguing that criminal penalties can contribute to women and girls seeking unsafe care.
Executive Director Joan Burke-Skeen said the organization wants abortion to be addressed as a public health and reproductive rights issue while improving access to safe healthcare services.
“It’s not about just promoting abortion. It is about promoting the safety and in so doing then the removal of the criminalization of abortion,” Burke-Skeen told Love News.
She said advocates want better data, a healthcare system that can accommodate women’s needs and changes to restrictive laws, while also addressing barriers to contraceptive access. Burke-Skeen noted that abortion is not completely illegal in Belize and is permitted under certain conditions.
BFLA is also pointing to Barbados and Guyana as countries whose approaches to abortion laws could be examined by Belize. “Our partnership with Aspire is to create this level of awareness but also to do some advocacy for the necessary changes as we talk about women’s rights and women’s reproductive health and rights,” Burke-Skeen added.
She said Aspire, in collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI), has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Health and is awaiting approval.
Burke-Skeen said advocates are hoping to receive support from the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Health as discussions continue.
The post “It’s about safety”: BFLA pushes to remove criminalization of abortion appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The Belize Family Life Association (BFLA) is calling for changes to Belize’s abortion laws, arguing that criminal penalties can contribute to women and girls seeking unsafe care. Executive Director Joan Burke-Skeen said the organization wants abortion to be addressed as a public health and reproductive rights issue while improving access to safe
The post “It’s about safety”: BFLA pushes to remove criminalization of abortion appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
