The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. December 16, 2022 Spanish Lawmakers Approve Landmark Sexual and Reproductive Health Law --------------------------------------------------------------------- Spain's parliament has passed a landmark sexual and reproductive health law that guarantees people as young as 16 the right to voluntarily terminate a pregnancy in the nearest public hospital. The bill also guarantees access to sex education, free contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products in high schools. It also provides paid medical leave for people suffering from painful menstrual cramps. Spain's equality minister, Irene Montero, championed the legislation. Irene Montero: "We are restoring the right of women between the ages of 16 and 18 to decide about their own bodies. And we also affirm that the state recognizes and respects the autonomy of women to decide that we do not doubt their decisions." .