In Support of Law Decriminalizing Abortion in Mexico City / Amici (Supreme Court of Mexico)
Filing date: Amicus brief submitted to Supreme Courts in February 2008
Country/Region: , Mexico -LAC
Plaintiff(s): GIRE
Center Attorney(s): , Lilian Sepulveda
Partners: International Commission of Jurists, GIRE
Summary: In February of 2008, the Center, in collaboration with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), drafted a third-party brief before the Mexico Supreme Court, arguing in favor of upholding Mexico City’s law legalizing first trimester abortion. Our brief was in response to a petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission challenging the constitutionality of the law, which was initially enacted in 2007.
Our arguments as outlined in the brief focused on the fact that a vast majority of countries allow abortion under certain conditions and also that courts and constitutional tribunals worldwide have recognized that a woman’s equality is inextricably linked to her ability to make decisions about her reproductive life.
On August 28, 2008, in an 8 to 3 ,groundbreaking vote, Mexico’s Supreme Court upheld Mexico City’s abortion law, ruling ,that the Mexico City Assembly had the power to legislate on the issue of abortion and recognizing ,women’s ,autonomy over reproductive decisions.
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