<p>The morning-after pill wasn't legal in Honduras for 13 years, but President Xiomara Castro has overturned the much-criticised ban on the emergency contraceptive pill in a historic decision. She is the first-ever woman to lead the country and made the change by executive order on International Women's Day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Today 8 March commemorates women's historic struggle," President Castro tweeted. "I am signing the Executive Order for the universal use of the morning-after pill."</p>

<p>Castro added, "The World Health Organization (WHO) determined that it is part of the reproductive rights of women and is not abortive."</p>

<p>After assuming office in 2022, Castro had promised to relax Honduras's restrictive reproductive rights laws.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The morning-after pill was banned in Honduras in 2009 following a coup. The country is largely Catholic and a ban was placed on the emergency pill following the ouster of Xiomara Castro's husband, then-President Manuel Zelaya.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, in December last year, feminist groups in the country campaigned to get the pill approved, following which it was exclusively cleared for rape victims.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In July 2022, Honduran health secretary Jose Manuel Matheu had told BBC that the country will never change its stance on the issue.</p>

<p>"We are not going to promote the morning-after pill as contraception," he had said, adding that doing so would lead to "sexual debauchery". The term used by him "desenfreno sexual" (sexual debauchery), went viral, with people slamming him for using such a word.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Abortion is currently illegal in Honduras for everyone and is punishable by up to six years in prison. It is not allowed even in cases of rape or incest. As per a UN estimate, 51,000 and 82,000 unsafe abortions are performed in Honduras each year.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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The morning-after pill wasn't legal in Honduras for 13 years, but President Xiomara Castro has overturned the much-criticised ban on the emergency contraceptive pill in a historic decision.

The morning-after pill wasn't legal in Honduras for 13 years, but President Xiomara Castro has overturned the much-criticised ban on the emergency contraceptive pill in a historic decision. She is the first-ever woman to lead the country and made the change by executive order on International Women's Day. "Today 8 March commemorates women's historic struggle," President Castro tweeted. "I am signing the Executive Order for the universal use of the morning-after pill." Castro added, "The World Health Organization (WHO) determined that it is part of the reproductive rights of women and is not abortive." After assuming office in 2022, Castro had promised to relax Honduras's restrictive reproductive rights laws. The morning-after pill was banned in Honduras in 2009 following a coup. The country is largely Catholic and a ban was placed on the emergency pill following the ouster of Xiomara Castro's husband, then-President Manuel Zelaya. However, in December last year, feminist groups in the country campaigned to get the pill approved, following which it was exclusively cleared for rape victims. In July 2022, Honduran health secretary Jose Manuel Matheu had told BBC that the country will never change its stance on the issue. "We are not going to promote the morning-after pill as contraception," he had said, adding that doing so would lead to "sexual debauchery". The term used by him "desenfreno sexual" (sexual debauchery), went viral, with people slamming him for using such a word. Abortion is currently illegal in Honduras for everyone and is punishable by up to six years in prison. It is not allowed even in cases of rape or incest. As per a UN estimate, 51,000 and 82,000 unsafe abortions are performed in Honduras each year. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

This country just overturned a 13-year ban on the morning-after pill

<p>After the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade verdict and banned abortion in the country, Republican leaders have justified that exceptions for rape or incest victims aren’t needed because emergency contraceptives can be used instead.</p>

<p>Advocates for rape survivors have pointed out that getting access to these emergency measures in the short time frame in which they would be effective may not be realistic for someone who has just been assaulted and medical professionals have confirmed that they are not always foolproof.</p>

<p>Following the failure of birth control, emergency contraceptives are used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex.</p>

<p>The two most commonly used contraceptives used in the United States, including levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate, prevent ovulation.</p>

<p>This is different from an abortion pill which ends a pregnancy after a fertilised egg has been implanted in the lining of a woman’s uterus.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>According to medical experts, the effectiveness of “morning after pills” depends on how soon they are taken after unprotected sex.</p>

<p>It is noteworthy that the pills are unlikely to help if a woman has ovulated prior to intercourse and sperms can live inside a woman’s body for up to five days.</p>

<p>A copper intrauterine device, which is the most effective method of emergency contraception, needs to be inserted into a woman’s uterus within five days of unprotected sex.</p>

<p>According to Jude Foster, advocacy medical forensic and prevention programs director for the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, most rape victims don’t report the crime to law enforcement.</p>

<p>Highlighting the faults in the ''one size fits all'' approach, she says women face financial as well as transportation problems.</p>

<p>Making no exceptions for cases of rape or incest, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma all have laws that ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy.</p>

<p>If they are used before a pregnancy can be determined, in that case, Arkansas’ and Kentucky’s laws explicitly say they don’t prohibit contraceptive measures.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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After the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade verdict and banned abortion in the country, Republican leaders have justified that exceptions for rape or incest victims aren’t needed because emergency contraceptives can be used instead.

After the US Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade verdict and banned abortion in the country, Republican leaders have justified that exceptions for rape or incest victims aren’t needed because emergency contraceptives can be used instead. Advocates for rape survivors have pointed out that getting access to these emergency measures in the short time frame in which they would be effective may not be realistic for someone who has just been assaulted and medical professionals have confirmed that they are not always foolproof. Following the failure of birth control, emergency contraceptives are used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. The two most commonly used contraceptives used in the United States, including levonorgestrel and ulipristal acetate, prevent ovulation. This is different from an abortion pill which ends a pregnancy after a fertilised egg has been implanted in the lining of a woman’s uterus. × According to medical experts, the effectiveness of “morning after pills” depends on how soon they are taken after unprotected sex. It is noteworthy that the pills are unlikely to help if a woman has ovulated prior to intercourse and sperms can live inside a woman’s body for up to five days. A copper intrauterine device, which is the most effective method of emergency contraception, needs to be inserted into a woman’s uterus within five days of unprotected sex. According to Jude Foster, advocacy medical forensic and prevention programs director for the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, most rape victims don’t report the crime to law enforcement. Highlighting the faults in the ''one size fits all'' approach, she says women face financial as well as transportation problems. Making no exceptions for cases of rape or incest, Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma all have laws that ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy. If they are used before a pregnancy can be determined, in that case, Arkansas’ and Kentucky’s laws explicitly say they don’t prohibit contraceptive measures. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

What are emergency contraceptives and why are they not always option after rape?

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This country just overturned a 13-year ban on the morning-after pill

What are emergency contraceptives and why are they not always option after rape?