EC under Attack in Ecuador

Access to EC has improved in many countries in recent years: it is included in the health norms of 17 Latin American countries, and at least one brand of EC is widely available in 18 countries.  However, in some countries, EC has come under attack recently due to increased political pressure from conservative and religious groups.

One such country is Ecuador, where a recent court decision outlawed one of two brands of EC approved for use.  In 1998, EC was included in Ecuador’s national health guidelines, when an article in the Constitution declared that the state must protect the right of women to have the number of children they can support and educate. Since 2002, EC has also been incorporated in Ecuador’s protocol for survivors of sexual violence. 

Since that time, several human rights and feminist organizations, including the Ecuadorian Consortium for Emergency Contraception, have been educating the public about the proper use of EC and advocating for its widespread availability. 

Despite these efforts, anti-choice opponents of EC are working through the courts to limit access. In November 2004, an anti-choice group called “Lawyers for Life” in Guayaquil, Ecuador, challenged the legality of one high-profile brand of EC, Postinor-2, being sold in pharmacies, on the false grounds that it is an “abortive” agent. A network of rights groups and feminist organizations testified before the constitutional court, offering scientific evidence that EC is not an abortifacient.  Despite these efforts, the court upheld the ban in May 2006. As a result, the sale of Postinor-2 is prohibited throughout Ecuador. Other brands are being threatened with similar litigation.

Currently, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia are also considering restricting access to EC.  The Catholic Church is a strong political voice in most Latin American countries in opposition to “unnatural” family planning methods, including EC.  U.S. domestic and foreign policies also are influencing discussions about EC access in Latin America. Reproductive rights advocates hope that EC’s new over-the-counter status in the United States, at least for women 18 and older, will help to make Postinor 2 legal again in Ecuador.