by Ximena Casas

Ecuador’s National Assembly has approved a new health code that would help all in Ecuador enjoy better access to health care.

The bill, nearly 8 years in the making, was approved on August 25 by a vote of 79 to 58, and now requires the signature of President Lenín Moreno to become law. The bill would guarantee the right to health universally and comprehensively, including for women, adolescents, and girls, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people. It also would guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health care, and provide comprehensive services based on scientific evidence.

The bill’s approval by the assembly represents a great accomplishment by the many women's rights organizations that supported the initiative.

In a country where every day, 7 girls below the age of 14 become mothers and the maternal mortality rate is 41.1 per 100,000 births, the new code could dramatically improve the lives of all Ecuadorians by increasing access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services. Read more via HRW