By denying and restricting access to abortion to millions of people since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 with the Dobbs decision, the United States is failing to comply with its international human rights obligations and standards to ensure pregnant people have access to abortion, according to a new report published by Amnesty International today.
Harrowing Discrimination: How Are People Affected?
- Restrictive laws and practices harm pregnant individuals across the USA.
- People share their stories of suffering due to abortion bans and restrictions.
- Some are forced to travel long distances, face financial burdens, and navigate legal hurdles.
“It was the ugliest feeling having to explain to the doctor that [my teenage daughter] was raped, and then him having to tell you he can’t do anything to help,” said one mother in Mississippi who had to travel more than seven hours to an abortion clinic in Illinois and pay $1,595 for her daughter’s abortion and almost $500 for a hotel.
Disproportionate Impact on Marginalized Communities: Who Suffers Most?
- Black, Indigenous, undocumented, LGBTQI+, disabled, rural, and low-income communities face the brunt of restrictive abortion policies.
- Discrimination and trauma are exacerbated for these marginalized groups.
- Recommendations for protecting reproductive rights for all are outlined in the report.
A Latina woman in Texas pregnant with twins, who learned at 12 weeks that one of the twins had been diagnosed with a fatal condition in utero that could threaten the other twin’s life, described being forced to travel out of state to save the viable fetus. “This was the most traumatizing experience of my life and one that was made so much worse, unnecessarily, because of these illogical and dangerous laws.”
Conclusion: Ensuring Rights and Access to Care
- Federal and state governments urged to protect the right to abortion.
- Equal access to medication abortion and emergency healthcare services essential.
- Advocacy for ballot initiatives to protect abortion rights in states encouraged.
“Everybody everywhere must be free to exercise their bodily autonomy and make their own decisions about their reproductive health,” said Jasmeet Sidhu. “While we work towards the longer-term goal of ensuring federal protections for the right to abortion, one important step people in some states can take this fall is to vote on ballot initiatives to protect abortion rights in their states.”
Source: www.amnesty.org