BRAZIL: Crossing Borders For Care (Bilingual)

Green Tide Rising

In this episode, we dive into Brazil’s fight for abortion rights as the country faces increasing Evangelical influence and restrictive laws which aim to pin homicide charges on people seeking abortions. Abortion is allowed in three exceptions, but Evangelical lawmakers are working to advance a landmark case that could make it illegal for victims of rape to seek abortions, and face even more punishment than their perpetrator/abuser. We follow the powerful story of Rebeca Mendes, a mother of two and law student, who in 2017 became the first Brazilian woman to request a legal abortion through the Supreme Court. With no response from the court, she crossed borders to Colombia to access a safe abortion, and started an accompaniment organization to help other women in similar situations.

Joining the conversation is activist and documentarian Debora Diniz, founder of feminist advocacy organization Anis, who has been at the forefront of Brazil’s reproductive rights movement. Together, they discuss the broader inequality that forces poor women to rely on unsafe methods while wealthy women access private care. Our resident Green Wave expert, Ximena Casas, reflects on Brazil’s ongoing legal battles, why access to medicated abortion is so important, how crossing borders for abortion is risky for the most vulnerable, and the growing momentum for reproductive justice in the largest country in Latin America.

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