Hoping to cut their high teen pregnancy rate, the Chilean government decided in 2006 to offer free emergency contraception, as reported by the Christian Science Monitor in this article. This month the Constitutional Court, responding to pressure from conservative and Catholic groups, has reversed the legislation, because, according to an article in The Santiago Times,
The ruling comes in response to a case brought by 36 socially conservative legislators in March, 2006, who argued that emergency contraception is abortive in nature and that, consequently, it violates the right to life enshrined in Chiles constitution (ST, April 4).
Strangely, the morning-after pill has not been completely banned, and can be obtained at pharmacies with a doctors prescription and the equivalent of $25. Some say that the free emergency contraception was a way to combat inequality in Chile, where poor girls who become pregnant have few options. Al Jazeera English looks into the effect the ruling will have.
http://hollyjfox.com/2008/04/27/chilean-court-halts-morning-after-pill-giveaway/