Mexico’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled that bans on abortion were unconstitutional and violated women’s rights. Wednesday’s decision comes two years after the Supreme Court ordered the state of Coahuila to remove sanctions for abortion from its laws. The decision led to legal proceedings in every state to lift abortion bans. So far, 12 of Mexico’s 31 states have decriminalized abortion.
GIRE, the organization for the protection of reproductive rights, brought the case to the agenda in order to decriminalize abortion. After the verdict was announced on Wednesday, many women shared green hearts on social media in tribute to the feminist movement in Latin America. While the Supreme Court’s decision is a big step forward, it alone will not be enough to decriminalize abortion completely. Both houses of the Mexican Congress must pass a law to accompany the Supreme Court decision.