U.S. Abortion Retrogression in Global Context

[niyad]

U.S. Abortion Retrogression in Global Context
5/24/2022 by Lourdes Rivera
In recent years, 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws, while the U.S. experiences profound retrogression on abortion rights—along with other countries where democratic institutions have eroded.

Countries worldwide are liberalizing their abortion laws and guaranteeing greater access to abortion services. Many are doing so on the understanding that abortion is necessary to ensure women’s equality and full participation in society. Several have done so recognizing that access to abortion is integral to the realization of human rights, including the rights to life, health, equality and non-discrimination, and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

In 2021, the Supreme Court of Mexico issued a ground-breaking decision, unanimously recognizing a constitutional right to safe, legal and free abortion services in early pregnancy and in other situations. The Court’s landmark ruling, and the inclusive language used in the decision, constitute critically important steps towards decriminalization of abortion and its recognition as a human right.
Elsewhere in Latin America, Argentina, Ecuador, and, most recently, Colombia have also liberalized abortion access—what’s been called the green wave. Examples in other regions of the world include Angola, India, Kenya, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, South Korea and Thailand. Since 1994, 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws.




Abortion rights activists celebrate the decision of Colombia’s high court to decriminalize abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy in Bogota, on Feb. 21, 2022. Since 1994, 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws. In contrast, the United States is experiencing profound retrogression on the right to abortion. (Raul Arboleda / AFP via Getty Images)

******In contrast, the United States is experiencing profound retrogression on the right to abortion. So too is this occurring in other countries where democratic institutions have eroded, such as Poland and Nicaragua.****** Across the U.S., anti-abortion politicians have been working to dismantle abortion rights for years. Today, 24 states severely restrict access to reproductive healthcare, and state legislatures throughout the country are enacting even more extreme and unconstitutional abortion bans and restrictions as the Supreme Court is poised to overturn or decimate Roe v. Wade. In 2021, state legislatures enacted historic numbers of abortion restrictions and bans; 2022 is on track to be even worse.

. . .



The Legal Fight Ahead

Armed with human rights and global momentum, advocates around the world have won landmark victories protecting the right to abortion. Here in the United States, we draw from that work to fight on—for stronger legal protections in Congress, including the Women’s Health Protection Act that would secure a national right to access abortion, as well as the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH) Act. We fight on in state legislatures. And we fight on in the courts, a critical pillar of democracy which we will never cede. Alongside our movement partners, we will turn the tide. And we will win.

https://msmagazine.com/2022/05/24/us-abortion-laws-global-abortion-roe/