Derecho, Desarrollo y Feminismo en América Latina

Helena Alviar García

Perfiles de mujeres procesadas por aborto

Lidia Casas Becerra
| CORSAPS

El funcionamiento de los nuevos tribunales de familia: resultados de una investigación exploratoria

Lidia Casas Becerra, Mauricio Duce, Felipe Marín, Cristian Riego, Macarena Vargas Pavez
| Universidad Diego Portales

Violencia de género y reforma procesal penal chilena: delitos sexuales y lesiones

Lidia Casas Becerra, Alejandra Mera González-Ballesteros
| Universidad Diego Portales

Perspectivas contemporáneas en la investigación Jurídica

Helena Alviar García
| Universidad de los Andes

The Legal Architecture of Populism: Exploring Antagonists in Venezuela and Colombia

Helena Alviar García, Gerald L. Neuman
| Cambridge University Press

This chapter examines populism in Latin America as a method of exercising power, rather than a specific set of substantive provisions. It explores the commonalities between left-populism and right-populism as illustrated by two ideologically opposing figures, Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and Álvaro Uribe in Colombia. Despite their contrasting social and economic policies, there were more similarities than differences in the legal architecture they deployed. In both cases, the preferred tools included the resort to referenda to circumvent and control the legislature, delegitimation of the opposition, and activation of mechanisms allowing the executive to legislate by decree. Their methods illustrate how populist leaders use tools to produce arguments of legitimacy for their selection of winners and losers in society.

Social, Economic and Cultural Rights and Economic Development: Limiting or Reinforcing the Market?

Helena Alviar García
| Hart Publishing

This book of essays, written in honour of Professor David Trubek, explores many of the themes which he has himself written about, most notably the emergence of a global critical discourse on law and its application to global governance. As law becomes ever more implicated in global governance and as processes related to and driven by globalisation transform legal systems at all levels, it is important that critical traditions in law adapt to the changing legal order and problématique. The book brings together critical scholars from the EU, and North and South America to explore the forms of law that are emerging in the global governance context, the processes and legal roles that have developed, and the critical discourses that have been formed. By looking at critical appraisals of law at the global, regional and national level, the links among them, and the normative implications of critical discourses, the book aims to show the complexity of law in today's world and demonstrate the value of critical legal thought for our understanding of issues of contemporary governance and regulation. Scholars from many countries contribute critical studies of global and regional institutions, explore the governance of labour and development policy in depth, and discuss the changing role of lawyers in global regulatory space.

Aborto: argumentos para una discusión necesaria

Lidia Casas Becerra, Nuria Núñez, Ximena Zavala, Instituto de la Mujer
| Instituto de la Mujer

Abortion in Chile: the long road to legalization and its slow implementation

Lidia Casas Becerra, Gloria Maira, Lieta Vivaldi Macho

Until as recently as September 2017, Chile was one of the few countries in the world that did not permit abortion under any circumstances. Although the Health Code had permitted therapeutic abortion (i.e., on health grounds) from 1931, this was repealed in 1989 as one of General Pinochet’s last acts in office. It took more than 25 years to reverse the ban. Finally, a new act was approved allowing abortion on three grounds: when a woman’s life is in danger, when there are fetal anomalies incompatible with life, and in the case of rape. Since the law allows abortion only in limited cases, most women must continue to seek illegal abortions, as previously. In this paper, we explore the historical context in which Chile’s 2017 bill was finally passed. We then analyze the legislative debate leading up to the passage of the law. Lastly, we present the results of a community-based participatory research effort carried out by an alliance between feminist and human rights organizations. Chile’s law was passed almost two years ago, and this research shows the persistence of various obstacles that hinder women’s access to legal abortion, such as the use of conscientious objection, a lack of trained health care providers, and a lack information for women.

La despenalización del aborto

Lidia Casas Becerra
| Universidad Diego Portales

Argumentos para la revisión de leyes punitivas en contra del aborto

Lidia Casas Becerra, Nuria Núñez

Women behind bars: Chile’s abortion laws, a Human Rights analysis

Lidia Casas Becerra, Verónica Matus, Lorena Fríes, Viviana Waisman, Gaby Oré Aguilar, Katherine Hall Martinez, María Isabel Matamala Vivaldi
| The Center for Reproductive Law & Policy

The effectiveness of sexual harassment law in Chile: from theory to practice

Lidia Casas Becerra
| University of Ottawa

This study examines the theoretical framework underlying Chilean legislation on sexual harassment in the workplace, notably to determine if the legislation has succeeded in uncovering and addressing the gender injustice and inequality involved in sexual harassment.This study further reviews whether the legislation adopted in 2005 is meeting its intended goal of protecting targets from harm by providing effective relief, penalizing perpetrators, and promoting adequate labour relations and climate.A combination of research methods were employed, notably a review of the legal scholarship, of Chile’s regulatory framework for sexual harassment, and of administrative and court system jurisprudence involvingtargets and perpetrators fromthe periodprior to theenactment of the legislation in March 2005 through to October 2014. Quantitative sexual harassment data were drawn from a nationwide household survey conducted in 2011 by Proyecto Araucaria (“Research, Policy and Practice With Regard to Work-Related Mental Health Problems in Chile: A Gender Perspective”)The study also includedinterviews with key informantsand focus groups with female workers.This study concludes that the debate between the equality versus protection of personal dignity paradigms is an abstract discussion not reflected in the practices of justice system actors, and that for the law to be effective, a sociopolitical and legal context facilitating recourse to it is required. Rather than considering onlythe formal resort to the relief provided in the law, it is crucialto examinethe actual practices of individuals seeking to advance the protection of their rights.

Aborto: una clara oportunidad para legislar

Lidia Casas Becerra, Lieta Vivaldi Macho

Este artículo mostrará los caminos que se han seguido, con variadas perspectivas, para
reformar la regulación del aborto en Chile. Al cierre de la edición de este artículo, se están tramitando propuestas de ley en el Congreso para regular el aborto por causales y un proyecto de Código Penal que tuvo entre sus antecedentes el aborto por plazo, que está recogido en la reciente iniciativa de un grupo de senadores. En este escenario, hasta el momento el Ejecutivo no ha dado luces sobre si avanzará con un proyecto propio o adherirá a algunos de los existentes. Cada una de estas posibilidades presenta interrogantes y múltiples desafíos para obtener su aprobación. Pero la principal pregunta es si tendrán como encuadre los derechos de las mujeres y la autonomía reproductiva.

Health

Lidia Casas Becerra
| Springer

Visiones contrapuestas sobre el artículo 19 nº 1 de la Constitución:Reflexiones sobre la constitucionalidadde la ley de despenalización del aborto en tres causales

Lidia Casas Becerra, Lidia, comp. Casas Becerra, Gloria Maira, comp. Vargas
| CDH Centro de Derechos Humanos

La respuesta estatal a la violencia intrafamiliar

Lidia Casas Becerra, Macarena Vargas Pavez

En Chile el tratamiento y respuesta al fenómeno de la violencia intrafamiliar ha cambiado sustancialmente desde la primera ley dictada en 1994 hasta la fecha. Se ha transitado desde un enfoque terapéutico hacia uno de respuestas más represivas, entregando con ello competencia para conocer de estos actos al sistema de justicia penal. Indagar, desde una perspectiva cuantitativa y cualitativa, acerca del impacto de las modificaciones legales de los últimos años es el objeto del presente trabajo.

Teenage sexuality and rights in Chile: from denial to punishment

Claudia Ahumada, Lidia Casas Becerra

While Chile sees itself as a country that has fully restored human rights since its return todemocratic rule in 1990, the rights of teenagers to comprehensive sexuality education are still notbeing met. This paper reviews the recent history of sexuality education in Chile and relatedlegislation, policies and programmes. It also reports a 2008 review of the bylaws of 189 randomlyselected Chilean schools, which found that although such bylaws are mandatory, the absence ofbylaws to prevent discrimination on grounds of pregnancy, HIV and sexuality was common. Inrelation to how sexual behaviour and discipline were addressed, bylaws that were non-compliantwith the law were very common. Opposition to sexuality education in schools in Chile is predicatedon the denial of teenage sexuality, and many schools punish sexual behaviour where transgression isperceived to have taken place. While the wider Chilean society has been moving towards greaterrecognition of individual autonomy and sexual diversity, this cultural shift has yet to be reflectedin the government’s political agenda, in spite of good intentions. Given this state of affairs, theChilean polity needs to recognise its youth as having human rights, or will continue to fail in itscommitment to them.

Abortion in Chile: the practice under a restrictive regime

Lidia Casas Becerra, Lieta Vivaldi Macho

This article examines, from a human rights perspective, the experience of women, and the practicesof health care providers regarding abortion in Chile. Most abortions, as high as 100,000 a year, are obtainedsurreptitiously and clandestinely, and income and connections play a key role. The illegality of abortioncorrelates strongly with vulnerability, feelings of guilt and loneliness, fear of prosecution, physical andpsychological harm, and social ostracism. Moreover, the absolute legal ban on abortion has a chilling effect onhealth care providers and endangers women’s lives and health. Although misoprostol use has significantlyhelped to prevent greater harm and enhance women’s agency, a ban on sales created a black market.Against this backdrop, feminists have taken action in aid of women. For instance, a feminist collectiveopened a telephone hotline,Linea Aborto Libre(Free Abortion Line), which has been crucial in informingwomen of the correct and safe use of misoprostol. Chile is at a crossroads. For the first time in 24 years,abortion law reform seems plausible, at least when the woman’s life or health is at risk and in cases of rapeand fetal anomalies incompatible with life. The political scenario is unfolding as we write. Congressionalapproval does not mean automatic enactment of a new law; a constitutional challenge is highly likely andwill have to be overcome.