Response to Rick's Question About Abortion

No plausible construal of any transnational or international human right entitles a woman to an abortion in circumstances where the pregnancy does not threaten either her life or her physical health.  Notice that in the case Rick called to our attention, a woman already had a right to a *therapeutic* abortion under *Peruvian* law.   The decision concerned the obligations of a state (only) in such circumstances.  As the press release noted:  "Abortion is legal in Peru for therapeutic reasons; however, because Peru failed to adopt clear regulations, women whose health is endangered by such pregnancies are left at the mercy of public officials. The petitioner in the case was denied access to the procedure by the hospital’s director, and was compelled to carry the fetus to term. She was forced to breast-feed for the four days the infant survived."

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