Global Pushback Against Restrictions on Abortion Access Intensifies
UNITED NATIONS – As the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) convened at the United Nations this week, a stark reality emerged: decades of progress on gender equality, including access to abortion, are under threat globally. Despite the setbacks, activists and human rights defenders are mounting a fierce resistance, determined to protect hard-won rights.
The CSW session comes at a critical juncture, with increasing restrictions on reproductive healthcare in numerous countries. The Commission is currently considering a multi-year programme of work focused on advancing women’s rights, according to a recent report to the Economic and Social Council.
“Across the world, governments and other actors are rolling back on decades of progress,” Amnesty International noted in a statement coinciding with the CSW meeting.
The challenges facing abortion rights advocates are multifaceted, ranging from restrictive legal frameworks to deeply ingrained social and religious stigmas. Cécile Yougbare, a human rights defender and activist in Côte d’Ivoire, has spent 20 years working with Médecins du Monde to improve women’s health, including access to safe abortion. She witnesses firsthand the devastating consequences of limited access.
“I refuse to let women die from clandestine abortions when solutions exist,” Yougbare stated. Despite legal allowances for abortion in some countries like Benin, she explains that social and religious pressures often prevent women from accessing care. Yougbare, who comes from a devout Catholic family, faces personal attacks and psychological violence for challenging traditional beliefs, but remains steadfast in her commitment to saving lives.
The rollback on funding for humanitarian organizations is also creating significant obstacles, with many groups facing restrictions on providing abortion care or fearing the loss of vital resources. This climate of insecurity is forcing activists to self-censor, according to reports.
In Poland, Kinga Jelińska of Women Help Women is pioneering a different approach, focusing on self-managed abortion as a means of reclaiming autonomy and challenging the medicalization of reproductive healthcare. Her organization provides medication and online support to individuals worldwide, including in Poland, where access to legal abortion is severely limited.
“Limiting access to abortion has to do with politics, stigma, patriarchy and misogyny,” Jelińska said. “When safe abortions are denied, people resort to unsafe methods, which are often deadly.”
Jelińska highlighted the criminalization of empathy, citing the case of a colleague, Justyna Wydrzyńska, who faced prosecution for assisting someone with an abortion that did not even take place.
In the United States, the situation is equally dire following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Erin Grant, co-executive director of the Abortion Care Network, described the impact as “devastating.” Approximately 100 abortion clinics have closed since the ruling, leaving only 14% of US counties with access to abortion providers.
“The ruling created a state where abortion is essentially banned for a large number of people, especially those who are already marginalized,” Grant explained. She emphasized that independent clinics are on the front lines, facing constant attacks and harassment.
Grant underscored the importance of building community and solidarity among abortion providers, stating, “Stronger Together” is the motto of the Abortion Care Network.
These activists, working on the front lines of reproductive rights, emphasize the critical role of allies, including organizations like Amnesty International, in amplifying their voices and advocating for policy changes. Amnesty International plays a pivotal role in ensuring abortion care and reproductive autonomy are recognized as fundamental human rights.
The fight for abortion access is not merely a matter of healthcare; it is a fight for human dignity, equality, and the right to bodily autonomy. As these advocates demonstrate, the determination to protect these rights remains strong, even in the face of increasing challenges.
