El Salvador >>

El Salvador has made significant strides in maternal health, improving access to prenatal care and increasing the number of hospital births ...

s supreme court has denied a sick woman an immediate abortion, despite warnings from doctors that her life is at risk and the foetus is likely to survive only a few hours after birth. In a 4-1 ruling, the nation's highest court turned down a request from the 26-week-pregnant woman, who uses the name Beatriz to protect her identity, and medical staff, who fear prison if they go ahead with a procedure...

s ruthless street gangs, the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS13. Drugs and weapons were trafficked freely and impunity reigned. Today, municipal police and gang members are building parks in the neighbourhood. "Now we can walk around without worries," says Sgt Juan José Mijango. "You can barely tell who's a marero [gang member] and who's not." Santa Tecla, 15 minutes outside San Salvador, is one of 15 peace...

Beatriz', pregnant with a severely disabled foetus, will be decided by the supreme court in a test of the country's strict abortion laws As she waits for a supreme court ruling that could decide whether she lives or dies, a young Salvadoran at the centre of Latin America's abortion debate is calling on the world to respect her right to choose. It is an extraordinary case that has convulsed the country...