THE DEBATE ON ABORTION AT BRAZIL AND URUGUAY’S CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES (1985-2016)

The aim of this text is to analyze and compare the legislative debate on abortion in Brazil and Uruguay. To this end, a research methodology comprising the analysis of all speeches made in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies and in Uruguay’s Chamber of Representatives between 1985 and 2016 was applied. The comparison between these countries is relevant because they are opposed to the treatment of women's reproductive rights. Uruguay has recently become the only country in the region to pass a legislation to decriminalize voluntary pregnancy termination. Brazil, on the other hand, has exhibited increasing conservative political, social and religious forces, which are, to a large extent, responsible for the regressive discussion on abortion in the Legislative Branch. In this sense, we propose to examine disputed positions and, through the obtained data, present indicators to explain these different scenarios.