TIME00205

Argentina: M.F.C. Case – In the city of Paraná (province of Entre Ríos), an abortion was requested by the mother of a 19-year-old disabled girl, M.F.C., who became pregnant as a result of rape. The procecure was denied via a precautionary measure filed in defense of the “unborn child” by the Ombudswoman for Children and the Poor. The judge from the province’s Court for Minors granted the injunction and also ruled that M.F.C. should reside in a state home run by the Council for Children. M.F.C.’s mother appealed the injunction and obtained authorization for a legal abortion. During the legal timeframe for filing appeals, the man who had impregnated M.F.C. appeared, arguing in defense of the rights of the “unborn child.” The Superior Court of Entre Ríos ruled in favor of an abortion. M.F.C. was transferred to Mar del Plata, where she finally received an abortion, given that local doctors in Paraná refused to perform the procedure.