Pro-Life, Anti-Women: The criminalization of abortion and the infringement of women's human rights in El Salvador
Author
Dimova, Dragica
Term
4. term
Publication year
2022
Submitted on
2022-05-31
Abstract
Abortion is common and safe when provided by trained professionals, yet El Salvador criminalizes it in all circumstances—a policy widely criticized as violating women’s fundamental rights. This thesis examines how abortion is constructed as a problem in El Salvador’s Penal Code and related constitutional and legal texts, and why international women’s human rights norms fail to take hold domestically. Using Carol Bacchi’s “What is the Problem Represented to Be?” (WPR) approach as the primary analytical method, complemented by Susanne Zwingel’s norm translation theory, the study traces the genealogy of the current law, identifies dominant problem representations, unpacks underlying assumptions and silences, and explores discursive, subjectification, and lived effects. The analysis situates the law within El Salvador’s sociopolitical and cultural context, including the influence of the Catholic Church, patriarchal and familist norms, and the criminalization of health workers, and assesses tensions with international obligations—especially under CEDAW and other UN human rights instruments. While detailed results are not included in the provided excerpt, the thesis positions the total abortion ban as a form of institutionalized discrimination with serious consequences for women’s autonomy, health, and equality, and considers how the prevailing representation is produced, defended, and might be challenged.
Abort er almindelig og sikker, når den udføres af uddannede sundhedsprofessionelle, men i El Salvador er den forbudt uden undtagelser, en politik der bredt kritiseres for at krænke kvinders grundlæggende rettigheder. Specialet undersøger, hvordan abort konstrueres som et problem i El Salvadors straffelov og relaterede forfatnings- og retstekster, og hvorfor internationale menneskerettighedsnormer for kvinder ikke forankres nationalt. Med Carol Bacchis “What is the Problem Represented to Be?” (WPR) som primær analytisk tilgang, suppleret af Susanne Zwingels normoversættelsesteori, kortlægger studiet den nuværende lovgivnings genealogi, identificerer dominerende problemrepræsentationer, afdækker underliggende antagelser og fortielser og undersøger diskursive, subjektiverende og levede effekter. Analysen placerer loven i El Salvadors socio-politiske og kulturelle kontekst, herunder den katolske kirkes indflydelse, patriarkalske og familistiske normer samt kriminaliseringen af sundhedspersonale, og vurderer spændingerne i forhold til internationale forpligtelser—særligt CEDAW og andre FN-instrumenter. Selvom detaljerede resultater ikke fremgår af det givne uddrag, positionerer specialet det totale abortforbud som en form for institutionaliseret diskrimination med alvorlige konsekvenser for kvinders autonomi, sundhed og ligestilling, og overvejer hvordan den dominerende problemrepræsentation produceres, forsvares og kan udfordres.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]