“Alyne da Silva Pimentel would have been 37 years old today if Brazil’s government had honored its responsibility to protect her fundamental human rights.

Instead, because she was poor and Afro-Brazilian, she died in 2002 after being denied basic medical care to address complications in her pregnancy. She was only 28 years old. And her death was completely preventable.

Although nothing can reverse Alyne’s fate, a groundbreaking decision handed down today by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Againsg Women (CEDAW), means that Alyne’s mother and daughter will finally see justice served—and women worldwide will benefit from the ruling issued in her name.”

Go to this page to read more about the case:
http://reproductiverights.org/en/document/decision-alyne-da-silva-piment…
http://reproductiverights.org/sites/crr.civicactions.net/files/documents…

SOURCE: Center for Reproductive Rights http://reproductiverights.org/en/about-us

This victory is a result of many minds and bodies working at different stages of the process, including DAWN. The collective work of brave women advocates, including Mirian Ventura, Gleyde Selma, Rulian Emerick, Angela Freitas, Luiza Cabal, Lilian Sepulveda, Ximena Andión and DAWN 2007 Intern Keri Bennet, was crucial to turn this case into a victory achieved after nine full years.

Through this case, maternal death is recognized for the first time as a violation of human rights, which opens an opportunity to revive the public debate on the persisting problems of reproductive health not only in Brazil but also in other countries around the world.

While this outcome won’t bring Alyne back, Alyne’s mother is financially compensated and her daughter, Alice, can grow up safe and secured into adulthood.

-Sonia Correa for DAWN