Even when legal abortion is often inaccessible.

In Bolivian law abortion is prohibited except in a few specific situations such as cases of rape or incest or when the womans life is in danger. However the legislation provides little safeguard for women because it requires court approval for abortion. This paper presents the case of a 12-year-old girl who became pregnant due to physical and sexual abuse by her stepfather and how the Family Planning International Assistance (FPIA) project has helped her in gaining access to safe abortion services. When the girl sought help for the termination of her pregnancy she was asked by the court to produce evidence of physical abuse from the forensic specialist and from the court-appointed gynecologist. Despite the painful delay the judge approved the procedure. However not a single physician would agree to perform the procedure. Fortunately the young woman received help from a group of activists and from a project supported by the FPIA. This case underscores the enormous importance of the work FPIA does throughout the world not only in Bolivia but everywhere abortion is unavailable severely restricted or altogether illegal.