Latin American Studies Resources

In most of Latin America, abortions are a crime, but this does not decrease the amount of abortions that are performed. Criminalizing abortion has become increasingly dangerous, especially in an area where there is little sex education and women are kept from using contraception. Up to 5,000 women die each year and thousands are hospitalized.

In most of the region of Latin America abortions are a crime, but criminalizing abortion doesn't decrease abortion rates and only endangers the lives of women. The abortion rate is far higher than in Western Europe or the United States. In Columbia, abortions are illegal even if a woman's life is in jeopardy. There is little sex education and social taboos keep unmarried women from exploring the options of contraception. Up to 5,000 women die each year from abortions in Latin America, and thousands more are hospitalized. In Cuba, however, abortion is legal on request. Latin Americans are looking at abortion as an issue of maternal mortality.

On Wednesday, September 9, 2009, the legislative branch in Uruguay passed a bill allowing for gay and lesbian couples to adopt children. This law had major support from the Senators in a 17 out of 23 vote and is unlike any other gay rights movement bill in Latin America. Liberal activists hope this is just the first step in a very long line of the liberation of not only gay rights, but human rights. Uruguay is also noted to be the first Latin American country to approve divorce and women's right to vote.

The election of Argentina's president sparked discussion on gender roles in Latin America. Gender issues and constraints have hurt Latin America economically. Although there has been an increase in women leaders, domestic violence and strict gender roles still exist.

This source is about the widespread sexual exploitation of underage girls in Paraguay, and the systemic exploitation of women is closely related to how we construct our views of masculinity.

For all the students who are more or less unfamiliar with HIV/AIDS, this website will answer any questions you might have. There are personal accounts, many articles spanning a wide range of topics relating to HIV/AIDS, information on testing and medications, treatment and side effects, current events and more.

This source shows recent patterns of AIDS infection in Mexico, as well as recent government policies to deal with the disease.

Lawmakers recently voted to extend adoption rights to gay couples in Uruguay, the latest measure to relax laws on homosexuality that has drawn criticism from Roman Catholic churches. Members of Congress said the law made Uruguay the first country in Latin America to permit gay couples to adopt. However, gay marriage still remains illegal, which means they cannot adopt jointly as a couple.

In June 2009, Latin American health officials and United Nations bureaucrats agreed to continue implementing "comprehensive sexuality education starting in early childhood" throughout the region, including instruction in the use of condoms and anti-"homophobia" training, at a meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Jamaica. Their goal is also to fight against sexual discrimination.

This article discusses discrimination against homosexuals in Mexico. San Francisco's Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals has made several rulings granting asylum to gay or transsexual applicants from Latin America, where violence against homosexual is common. Some of them have even been abused by the police.

President Lula of Brazil hopes to "pass a 'homophobia law' that would make it a crime to criticize homosexual behavior." Most homophobic criticism stems from religious conservative groups. This is a primary goal of Lula's as an increasing number of murders have begun to result from hatred and prejudice against homosexuals over the past years.

Although abortion is illegal in Brazil, it is allowed for medical purposes such as the mother's health and in cases of rape. Yet, when a nine year old was raped and impregnated with twins by her step-father, the public was outraged because of the conflicting ideals with the Catholic Church and abortion. The Church upholds the view that any "innocent, unborn" life taken is the act of extreme sin that should be shunned upon.

United Nations, World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, Pan American Sanitary Bureau

This source talks about the policys thaa are being made to combat the crime in Mexico. It focuses on what the government is working on to deal with the issue.

A Worldfocus contributing blogger writes that a zero tolerance policy intended to curb crime in Mexico has forced some street children into prostitution.

it talks about the sex in latin america and the lack of sex education there. It talks about places in latin america where sex is very prevelant and it talks about solutions to help bring sex education to latin america.

Here is a news video about new sex education books being distributed to schools in Mexico City. Students were glad to get the books that had real answers to their questions about sex and sexuality, as well as information about women's rights, domestic violence, and respect for different sexualities. Church groups and a parents association are strongly against the new book, and one member claimed that it "promotes death."

Despite Being Largely Illegal, Abortion in Mexico is Far More Prevalent Than in the United States

This article gives an overview of the origins of the AIDS pandemic in Latin America. It also discusses the need to monitor the male prostitution ring based on fact that their bisexual male partners often spread the disease to their heterosexual female partners. There is also a number of cases related to the use of infected needles and unsterile drug intake.