The Impact of Changing Religiosity on NGOs Issue Framing of Abortion Policy

• In Event: Gender, Sexuality, and Human Rights

Abstract

In recent decades, global trends have favored the liberalization of abortion policy as a
growing number of states have increased citizens’ access. NGOs play a critical role in promoting liberalization and have proven especially effective when operating within secular political contexts, when developing strong issue networks (networks within civil society among interest groups), and when adopting appropriate issue framing. Whereas scholarship on social
movements has studied these first two factors, there is disagreement on how the abortion issue is most effectively framed by NGOs. Existing literature on framing reveals two major frames used by NGOs – health-centered and rights-centered – however, research does not suggest that one is more effective than the other at leading to abortion policy liberalization. Focusing on cases within Latin America, I ask: How do domestic pro-choice NGOs' adoption of different strategies affect states; liberalization of their abortion policies? I argue that the NGOs’ choice of issue frame, given a certain religious context, determines the degree of liberalization. By religious context, I mean the magnitude at which Catholic identification is decreasing. To answer my question, I use case studies and process tracing in four states with high religiosity: Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Paraguay. I find that in cases where the reduction in Catholic identification is less significant, a rights-centered frame is most effective. As reductions in Catholic identification become more significant, a health-centered frame is most effective. This paper offers a new typology of NGO issue framing, a typology of religious change, and offers in-depth case comparisons to elucidate NGO behavior in Latin America and beyond.

Author

• Sarah Burke, University of California, Irvine