Few rights, great threats, endless struggles: setbacks and resistance in the last decade of fights for legal abortion in Brazil

This commentary analyses the state of legal abortion in Brazil over the past decade, contextualising the increasing restrictions and political disputes surrounding the issue within broader anti-gender offensives. While Brazilian law permits abortion only in limited cases - rape, risk to the pregnant person's life, and anencephaly - access to these rights has been consistently undermined, particularly amid the strengthening of far-right political forces. We explore how moral arguments and conservative discourses - often framed through the notion of "gender ideology" - have been mobilised to roll back sexual and reproductive rights, resulting in significant institutional and legislative setbacks, including attempts to criminalise legal abortion practices. In contrast, the commentary highlights forms of resistance led by feminist movements, progressive lawmakers, and the judiciary, such as mass protests, strategic litigation, and efforts to socially decriminalise abortion. Furthermore, it addresses the role of strategic ignorance in perpetuating state inaction and the importance of academic research in illuminating these dynamics and resisting the erosion of rights. The struggle for reproductive justice in Brazil is ongoing, marked by both persistent threats and collective resistance.