Bishops are threatening to excommunicate MPs, 500 thousand people and counting have stormed the streets and an apparent 71% of the population are in disagreement with new legislation. Spain is in turmoil , and it’s the new equality minister who sparked this ruckus. She, Bibiano Aido, has done her job well and has made some serious changes since she came into office. Alongside the Socialist Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, over the past 4 years Spain has legalized gay marriage, penalized domestic violence and rape assailants and fast-tracked divorce legislation. But all of this was a cinch compared to what the two now have in store for women’s rights in Spain.
Legalizing abortions in a country that has had outlawed this essential women’s right since 1985. Imagine, no longer would Dutch ships have to park their bows off the Spanish shoreline, in international waters in order for Spanish women to legally obtain abortions. Women would be given the right to make those choices on their own. But what most upsets the Spaniards is the fact that within the new legislation, 16 year old daughters would be able to make this decision without parental consent. This stipulation is commonly used in legislation to ensure that women of all ages are able to obtain an abortion, regardless of parental views. Its important, especially in a nation where apparently 71% of the population do not agree with abortions, that young women have the opportunity to achieve this basic right. This provision has been addressed in CEDAW general recommendation 12 (29) however it is now time for Spanish parliament to educate and inform its constituents on the necessity of legalized abortion for all women’s rights, and not just those 18 and older. I’m tipping my hat off to Bibiano Aido and Zapetero, for their hard work (despite death threats and protests outside their doors) that will benefit woman all around the world.
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Sorry, but you have your facts wrong: abortion was not outlawed in Spain in 1985, on the contrary, that was the year when it was decriminalized, meaning that in that year they passed a law allowing abortions in three cases: in the case of rape, malformation of the fetus, and physical or psychological danger for the mother. What happened since then is that most women used the third case as a way to obtain legal abortions, by having a psychiatrist claiming that her mental health was in danger. What the new law will do is recognize abortion as a right of the woman, who can then have one for whatever reason during the first 14 weeks, and then keep the cases of danger for the fetus or the mother for later term abortions.
Also, based in my own experience and what I see in the people, I am not sure the opposition to this law is so widespread as its opponents want to convey. In fact, it wasn't 500000 people in the streets, but about 55000 who protested against it. And much of this opposition has been fueled by the Popular Party (right wing) as yet another attack to the government (socialist). In fact, during 8 years (1996-2004) the popular party was in governement and didn't changed the law neither outlawed abortion, so it is very hypocritical for them to now protest this new law and claim to be against all abortions.
Finally, it is a small typo, but the name is Bibiana Aido (Bibiano would be a masculine name in spanish).