Ahead of the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Tarah Demant, National Director of Programs at Amnesty International USA, said:
“Two years after the U.S. Supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade, the human right to abortion continues to be under attack in the United States. What’s resulted in the two years since the Dobbs decision is a patchwork of devastating laws, with abortions now totally or near totally banned in 21 states across the country. This means women, girls, and others who can get pregnant are blocked from accessing abortion care.
“Abortion is a human right and a vital part of health care. All pregnant people, no matter who they are or where they live, must have the freedom to make their own healthcare decisions, including whether to carry a pregnancy to term, without government interference. Abortion bans are a violation of human rights, and they disproportionately harm Black and brown people, immigrants, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, those who cannot afford to travel to a different state to receive the care they need, and other systemically marginalized people.
“Make no mistake, we are facing a human rights and healthcare crisis in the United States due to the landslide of abortion bans, restrictions, and barriers. At the same time, social media companies continue to remove information about abortions, making it harder for people to find accurate information online. These bans and other anti-abortion measures are contributing to increased stigma and fear for those who need abortions when the fact is that abortions are a safe and normal part of healthcare.
“Since the overturning of Roe, the United States has clearly fallen behind in its obligation to protect the human right of pregnant people to have an abortion. It is alarming to see the U.S. so out of step with the rest of the world, where there has been an overwhelming trend towards the liberalization of abortion laws. As most nations expand reproductive rights, overturning Roe puts the U.S. among the ranks of a small group of only three other countries that have tightened abortion laws since 1994.
“The only way to stop this dangerous and discriminatory human rights failure and to ensure all people in the United States can enjoy their human right to abortion without the interference of politicians is with full federal protections of the right to abortion. In the meantime, voters in some states will have the opportunity to support ballot initiatives in the 2024 elections to constitutionally protect the right to abortion in their state, helping ensure that the pregnant person—not politicians—are able to decide for themselves whether to carry a pregnancy to term. “Bans on abortion are not the will of the American people. The vast majority of Americans support the right to abortion and oppose abortion bans.
“In the face of these continued attacks on abortion, individuals and communities across the country have formed powerful grassroots movements that are working to ensure that people have access to the abortion care they need and that the United States reverses course and ultimately protects this human right.”
More information
Amnesty International believes that everyone should be free to exercise their bodily autonomy and make their own decisions about their reproductive lives including when and if they have children. It is essential that laws relating to abortion respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of pregnant persons and not force them to seek out unsafe abortions. Read more.
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