Decriminalizing Abortion in Uruguay: Women's Movements, Secularism, and Political Allies

In 2012 Uruguay became the second country in Latin America to decriminalize abortion during the first trimester. Drawing on original field research, this article explains the success of abortion reform based on the existence of a strong campaign for decriminalization. The women's movement used frames that resonated within civil society, gathered support from key social actors, and collaborated closely with sympathetic legislators. In addition, three contextual factors ensured both the availability and success of these strategies: a weak presence of the Catholic Church, a president not opposed to abortion reform, and a highly institutionalized party system with a strong leftist coalition.