preview

The And Human Rights

Better Essays

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Ever since the age of Enlightenment, long seen as the beginning of human rights, there has consistently been a strong emphasis on the inalienable rights of people. In the Enlightenment era, philosophers such as John Locke wrote about the development of human rights, using the state of nature, social contract, and role of government. Some of these fundamental beliefs were carried through history, and eventually the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created in an effort to create world-wide equality. However, today there are still numerous human rights violations occurring across the world. El Salvador, located in Central America off the coast of the Pacific Ocean (See Appendix A), has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world, which violates women’s rights. The Catholic Church has extreme power in the country; in fact, the country was named in honor of Jesus Christ, their savior. Over time, the Salvadoran government and the Catholic Church have put more restrictions on the once liberal abortion laws. In 1956, abortion was completely legal in El Salvador. Under the 1973 Salvadoran Penal Code, abortions could legally be performed if it was needed to save the mother’s life, in cases of rape or statutory rape, or severe fetal deformity. Then, in April 1998, El Salvador revised their penal code and banned abortion completely. The government also amended the constitution to recognize life from the moment of conception. Groups such

Get Access