Zika Virus: United Nations Urges Latin American Countries With Victims To Allow Abortion

The UN has urge Latin American countries, where most are predominantly Catholics, to give women access to abortions due to the ongoing Zika virus; adding that it’s not enough for health officials to tell women to postpone pregnancy without also offering them contraceptives and termination as a final solution. "How can they ask these women not to become pregnant, but not offer... the possibility to stop their pregnancies?” spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Cecile Pouilly told reporters, "that's why we are asking those governments to go back and change those laws."

The emerging mosquito-borne virus has been linked to microcephaly, a condition that leads to babies being born with small heads and birth defects, and as the disease is rapidly spreading it has become a pregnant woman's nightmare. “Upholding human rights is essential to an effective public health response and this requires that governments ensure women, men and adolescents have access to comprehensive and affordable quality sexual and reproductive health services and information, without discrimination,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement,"laws and policies that restrict her access to these services must be urgently reviewed in line with human rights obligations in order to ensure the right to health for all in practice."