Santiago, Chile – Chile’s highest court on Friday halted a 4-month-old program that provides the morning-after pill for free to girls as young as 14, citing a technicality in the way the government approved the program.
The court voted 6-4 that the program was unconstitutional because it was implemented by administrative decree rather than by presidential decree or legislation.
The government quickly responded by saying President Michelle Bachelet would issue the correct decree to comply with the court’s ruling. It dismissed the possibility of sending a bill to Congress because the program lacks a majority of support there.
The court issued its ruling, which cannot be appealed, at the request of the right-wing opposition who say the pill violates the right to life.
The morning-after pill, or Plan B, is a high dose of the most common ingredient in regular birth control pills. When taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, it can lower the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent. It will not work on a woman who is already pregnant.
The Chilean program provided free contraceptives – including the morning-after pill – to girls as young as 14 without notifying their parents. Before it was approved, the age limit was 16, and the morning-after pill was given only to rape victims.
