Restrictive abortion law in Dominican Republic allegedly claiming women's lives, social media initiative issues alarm

The Dominican Republic, a conservative country in Latin America, has recently approved a new penal code that includes a total abortion ban, signed into law by President Luis Abinader. This move places the country among four others in the region that maintain a complete prohibition on abortion, including Haiti, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.

The new penal code, due to take effect in August 2026, has sparked controversy and debate, particularly among women's rights activists. Notable figures like comedian Carlos Sánchez and singer and actress Techy Fatule have shared stories of women who lost their lives due to high-risk pregnancies in the Dominican Republic.

Sánchez posted on Instagram about Winifer Nuñez Beato, who died in 2021, while Fatule tells the story of Damaris Mejia, who met a similar fate. Both women left behind families, with Nuñez Beato leaving a husband and a young daughter.

The new penal code, however, does not go uncontested. Caribbean-pop singer and songwriter Isabel de Dios, an active member of the feminist movement, has been vocal in her opposition. She has described the new penal code as "crazy," "dictatorial," and "feudal." De Dios often participates in protests and has been partnering with artists to share stories about women who have lost their lives due to pregnancy-related conditions.

The Alianza Cristiana Dominicana, an organisation that advocates for the inclusion of the "tres causales" (three exceptions) in the Penal Code, is pushing for these exceptions to be included. The "tres causales" refer to cases of rape, risk to the mother's life, and fatal foetal abnormalities. The head of the Alianza Cristiana Dominicana is Eduardo Estrella.

The Coalition for the Life and Rights of Women and other groups have been pushing for years to have the three exceptions included in the penal code. They argue that these exceptions could have saved the lives of many women, including the 100 documented maternal deaths in the Dominican Republic so far this year. Natalia Mármol, a women's rights advocate, believes that these lives could have been saved if abortions were legal.

Interestingly, President Abinader previously expressed support for making exceptions to the abortion ban but did not push for changes after his re-election. The Catholic Church and evangelical groups in the Dominican Republic back the abortion ban, but the Alianza Cristiana Dominicana is pushing for the penal code to include exceptions for certain circumstances.

The new penal code does include the classification of femicide and an increase in the severity of punishment for sexual assault. This suggests a complex and nuanced approach to women's rights in the Dominican Republic, with ongoing debates and activism shaping the country's legal landscape.