The nation of Paraguay is divided as to the outcome of the 10-year-old pregnant girl who was raped by her stepfather. The girl, only known as Mainumby, is on her 6th month of pregnancy and human right activists as well as other concerned citizens are lobbying for her to be allowed to legally abort the said pregnancy.
Mainumby is four times more likely to die from childbirth than an adult woman, The Guardian reports, quoting he Inter-American Commision on Human rights.
Paraguay law does not allow abortion, unless it endangers the life of the mother. And the latest ruling for this girl's case is for her to bring the pregnancy to term. Paraguay is predominantly Catholic, and it may have a huge impact on the decision.
Furthermore, the refusal of the health minister in the clamor of women's right activists to allow abortion results in intense debates among the citizens. Reuters reports that human rights group Amnesty International calls the ruling, handed Monday, to be "tantamount to torture". This came after the girl's mother was denied her request for the said termination.
Paraguay has until Thursday to change its decision. If the stance is not reconsidered, the Commision will bring the matter to the region's top human rights court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica.
Mainumby's mother was said to have reported the sexual abuse earlier, but the authorities allegedly did not take action. The news earned the ire and criticism of the United Nations. The girl's mother has been imprisoned for failure of protecting and caring for her daughter. The 42-year-old stepfather was arrested last month as well.
"This is a human rights issue. The girl's life is very much in danger," said Shelby Quast, who is the policy director at campaign charity Equality Now. The organization filed a petition on the girl's case to the Commission along with women's rights organization, CLADEM.
On the other hand, Paraguay health minister Antonio Barrios defended the government's manner of handling the issue. He states that the girl's health is not at risk and that they would provide all the doctors and psychologists to look after her care. She is currently at a hospital in the capital of Asuncion.
