Brasília - A recent decision by a Supreme Court justice, Marco Aurelio de Mello, authorizing women to terminate pregnancies in cases of anencephaly was the topic of debate at the Council for Defense of Human Rights (CDDPH) yesterday. [The Mello ruling is not final; the issue will eventually come up before the whole court]

The World Health Organization reports that Brazil is in fourth place worldwide in cases of anencaphaly, behind Mexico, Chile and Paraguay. There are over 600 cases annually in Brazil.

"What we cannot do is force a woman who does not want to continue such a pregnancy to do so. On the other hand, we cannot force a woman who does not want to terminate such a pregnancy to do so, either," declared Maria José Araujo, who coordinates Women's Health at the Ministry of Health, speaking at the CDDPH.

At the end of the debate, the CDDPH voted by 7 to 1 in favor of the decision by justice Mello. "This is important for Brazil. It allows a woman to make her own decision," declared Elizabeth Zaar, who represented an NGO.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Juliana Andrade
Translator: Allen Bennett
08/20/2004