A young girl has given birth to twins after she was raped and denied an abortion by local authorities in Argentina.
The 12-year-old girl was forced to remain pregnant until her babies could be delivered via c-section.
Furious medical professionals have slammed the decision of local authorities to deny the girl a legal abortion.
The Jujuy branch of Health Professionals for the Right to Decide released a statement on social media.
“Despite the fact that the National Directorate of Sexual Health made an offer to immediately resolve the situation, preserving the physical and emotional health of the girl, the authorities in charge of the local Health portfolio, rejected the proposal and they decided not to guarantee this girl her right to ILE (legal interruption of pregnancy).”
The post also accused the State of “sinisterly perpetuating” inequalities faced by mistreated girls when they should be given protection.
The 12-year-old girl underwent a c-section operation at the Hector Quintana Maternal and Child hospital.
Health professionals for the Right to Decide accused local authorities of delaying acting on the child’s situation until she was in her late pregnancy.
According to Human Rights Watch, legislation around abortion in the country doesn’t set a time limit for legal abortions. However, health officials and authorities often set arbitrary limits.
The girl is now under the care of the Children’s Ombudsman because of her parents’ legal situation, the Health Professionals for the Right to Decide said in a statement.
In Jujuy province, more than 680 adolescent births were recorded in public hospitals this year, TodoJujuy reported. Of these, 20 of the mothers were victims of rape ages 10 to 14.
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