June 3, 2026
Brazilian lawmakers voted on Tuesday to make it tougher for underage victims of sexual violence to access abortion, in a lightning vote that followed less than two minutes of debate.
The vote moves to dismantle a resolution from the National Council for the Rights of Children and Adolescents that mandates prioritizing the interests of victims.
“It is a historic defeat in the comprehensive protection of girls and adolescents in Brazil,” the state body said in a statement, calling it a “serious setback.”
Under the overturned regulation, minors who disagreed with their parents or guardians on their pregnancy could obtain free legal assistance to safeguard their rights, including getting an abortion.
