Chile sees landmark court ruling and political debate over abortion rights

A Chilean civil court has issued the first favorable ruling in a lawsuit involving the denial of abortion services under the country’s three-causal law. The court found that a physician, Dr. Eduardo Carstens, breached medical service contracts by failing to meet professional standards and obstructing legal access to the procedure. The ruling cited the delivery of erroneous information and the failure to follow protocols regarding the legal grounds for abortion: risk to the mother, fetal inviability, or rape.

Separately, the National Association of Midwives of Chile (ASOMAT) has criticized the Chilean government’s recent stance at the United Nations Human Rights Council. During a session in Geneva, the Chilean representative stated that the executive branch views abortion as not being an internationally recognized right, arguing that regulation remains a matter of domestic law. ASOMAT warned that this restrictive interpretation could lead to setbacks in sexual and reproductive rights, impacting bodily autonomy and healthcare access.