Amnesty International: Sexual violence and abortion laws in Paraguay drive child pregnancy epidemic

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – At least 1,000 girls aged 14 and under gave birth in Paraguay between 2019 and 2020, the report states. It adds that over 12,000 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 gave birth in 2019.

The report titled “They’re Girls, Not Mothers” highlights a crisis of sexual violence against girls, who are then forced to complete their pregnancies under Paraguayan law.

The South American nation’s abortion laws are some of the most extreme in the region, with the procedure criminalized in virtually all circumstances except when the mother’s life is deemed to be in danger.

Paraguay has one of Latin America and the Caribbean’s highest rates of child and adolescent pregnancy, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Premature birth can pose significant health risks. Girls under the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications, according to the Latin American Consortium Against Unsafe Abortion.

In Paraguay, girls and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 account for 1 in 10 maternal deaths nationwide, as well as 13% of maternal deaths caused by unsafe abortions, Amnesty said.

In 2018, Paraguay passed a law to prevent sexual abuse and ensure comprehensive care for child and adolescent survivors. However, the report describes the law’s implementation as inadequate, highlighting gaps in the protection of young people, “such as the absence of adequate public policies and the lack of enforcement of existing laws to prevent abuse and provide redress when it occurs.”

“By action and omission, Paraguay is turning its back on its girls and adolescents who face unimaginable abuses,” said Amnesty International Americas director Erika Guevara-Rosas.

“Girls have the right to a violence-free life. Forcing someone to continue a pregnancy, especially when it is the result of rape, is a form of ill-treatment that can be considered torture,” she added.

In 2019 alone, the country’s Prosecutor’s Office received an average of 12 complaints of sexual violence against girls and adolescents daily, which in some cases resulted in pregnancies, the report said.

Paraguay’s restrictive stance on abortion has drawn critical international attention before. In 2015, an 11-year-old girl gave birth after Paraguayan authorities denied her an abortion. The girl had become pregnant by her stepfather at age 10.