Last week the Ministry of Health announced the free distribution of the so-called morning after pill -Postinor-2- in all Public Healthcare Centres in the country to girls 14 and over without needing the consent or with information to their parents.
Conservative sectors in society railed against the measure. The ruling Concertacion coalition has been split in two; the Christian Democratic Party opposes the distribution without parental control adding parents should always be informed. However, their leftist partners in the Concertacion supported the government.
Opposition Conservative Mayors responsible for administering local public health centres in their communities opposed the measure, saying it was an abortion-inducing pill, that it causes cancer, or that they would not allow the free distribution of the pill without parental consent.
The Catholic Church accused the government of implementing population controls similar to totalitarian regimes. President Michelle Bachelet replied saying democratic regimes have to offer an array of options in pregnancy prevention methods that are beyond ideology or beliefs.
A Santiago district Mayor filed a motion seeking to stop the distribution -that was to begin next month- of the pill to girls under the age of 18 without parental consent. And today the Santiago Appeals Court accepted the motion and ordered the Ministry of Health to stop the distribution until the arguments are heard in Court.
The government’s aim is to curve the alarming rates of teenage pregnancy, particularly among girls between 14 to 16 years old.
Chile outlawed therapeutic abortion during the military dictatorship, and at this time, it would be nearly impossible to pass abortion legislation in Congress.
It took nearly a decade to have the morning after pill sold in pharmacies; this after women’s groups proved in the Supreme Court Postinor-2 is not an abortive pill.
Chile lags behind in sex education, public schools do not teach current sex education, concentrating solely on biology. But teenagers and pre-teens demand hard explanations on sex, sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, the proper use of condoms.
Polls show the overwhelming majority of Chileans support the distribution of Postinor-2 to all girls and women who ask for it in Public Healthcare Centres.
The Ministry of Health announced it will try to have the Appeals Court decision quashed arguing it is a public health issue, so the Ministry can begin next month the free distribution of the morning after pill.
