Around 10,000 people crowded the streets of Lima, Peru and joined the “March for Life.”
Participants walked through the streets of the Peruvian capital on March 26 to show support for the rights of an unborn child. Thirty civic groups organized the rally joined by several members of Congress, civil associations, and Christian communities.
Congresswoman Milagros Jáuregui de Aguayo and her husband Guillermo headed the march towards the Congress of the Republic. “We will continue to defend and give voice to the weak and the voiceless,” said Milagros.
“Peru is definitely pro-life, our authorities must understand this, and we are very happy to have pro-life congressmen attending this march,” added Guillermo who is also an evangelical leader.
We will continue to defend and give voice to the weak and the voiceless. —Milagros Jáuregui de Aguayo, Congresswoman, Peru
Festivida 2022 also took place in one of the main parks in the city. The day was filled with artistic expressions and cultural shows in celebration of life and the family. There was an interactive exhibit showing the changes from conception to the birth of a child. The day was not only for the unborn, but it also celebrated mothers. Organizers prepared workshops for mothers on early infant stimulation and breastfeeding. The whole family enjoyed the day with live concerts, games, food, and entertainment.
The country celebrates the Day of the Unborn Child every March 25th as mandated by law. For 20 years, the pro-life communities rejoice in Congress’ passing of Law 27654 establishing this national day, reports Evangelical Focus.
March 25 is nine months before Christmas and is observed by many nations as the Day of the Unborn Child. The date gives importance to the humanity of the unborn child from the moment of conception.
Pro-choice rallies in Latin America
Peruvians support the pro-life provisions in the country, but many women are still hoping for a law that would decriminalize abortion.
Thousands of women across Latin American countries including Peru, rallied on March 29 to demand abortion rights, reports international news network, France24.
Protesters filled the streets in Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru holding banners that read “Legal Abortion Now” and “Right to Decide.”
The government of Peru allows abortion only if the mother’s life is in danger. Civil groups estimate around 370,000 abortions are done illegally each year in the country.
Abortion is banned in El Salvador, with no exemptions. A woman seeking the procedure can be convicted of “aggravated homicide” and be in jail for eight years.
Hundreds of Salvadoran women protested outside the national legislature to push for their right to decide. They argued that abortion should be allowed in some cases such as when the pregnancy puts the woman’s life at risk, the fetus is unlikely to survive after birth, or the pregnancy “is the result of sexual violence.”
In Chile, a bill to decriminalize abortion within 14 weeks of pregnancy has passed at the lower house of Congress and has yet to be approved by the senate. The existing law allows elective abortion in these three cases: when there is a threat to the life of the pregnant woman, if the fetus is unviable, or if the pregnancy was the result of rape.
Day of the Unborn Child in the US
The US has no official church or government declaration for the Day of the Unborn Child, but the movement is slowly gaining ground. Several events were held in honor of unborn babies. New York City has the International Gift of Life Walk every March 25th for six years already. There is the National Prayer Luncheon for Life (NPLL), a year-long initiative culminating with an online hour of power where thousands of participants throughout the country unite and pray for the protection of unborn babies.
PregnancyHelpNews.com suggests several ways on how individuals and churches can observe the Day of the Unborn Child. These include:
- Spiritually adopt an unborn child and pray for him and his mother for nine months.
- Hold a fundraiser for pro-life groups or crisis pregnancy centers.
- Organize a Life Chain in your town.
- Pray outside an abortion clinic.
- Host a pro-life movie night.
- Pass out pro-life literature at your church.
- Set up a “cemetery of the innocents” somewhere in your community to witness all the lives lost because of abortion.
