Right to safe abortion: thousands march in the United States in support of the right to safe abortions.
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REUTERS Women protesting in the US against the restrictions in abortion rights
Right to Safe abortion just like any other health related rights is crucial in the promotion and respect for women rights to health restricting safe abortion is equals to endangering the lives of women and especially girls who are either survivors of rape or unwanted pregnancy. The rights to safe abortions are part of specific rights of women which ought to be respected.
According to the United Nations statement on the occasion of the International Safe Abortion Day 28 September 2018, “an estimated 225 million women worldwide are deprived of access to essential modern contraception, often leading to unplanned pregnancies. For girls, pregnancy and childbirth is one of the most common causes of death in developing countries, with girls under 15 years of age facing five times the danger. As a result of unsafe abortions, each year some 47,000 women die, and a further 5 million suffer temporary or permanent disability. Maternal mortality violates the rights to life, health, equality and non-discrimination.”
The world Health Organisation during the 2021 commemoration of the International Safe Abortion Day maintained that “Abortion is a health care service that saves lives and protects the health and well-being of women and girls. Understanding how organizations have adapted their safe abortion care programmes to maintain service delivery, while seeking to protect their clients, staff and communities from contracting COVID-19, is vital”
While some countries are encouraging safe abortion, some are having zero tolerance for abortion. In 2020, Argentina legalized abortions up to 14 weeks of pregnancy and the United Nations described the move as “a crucial step in eliminating discrimination against women and girls” while in Poland 2020, abortion was banned in a historic ruling which A group of UN independent human rights experts denounced and referred to it as “slamming the door shut” on safe and legal pregnancy terminations.
Last month, in the United State, The Authorities in Texas passed a law restricting access to safe abortion thereby sparking the protest on 2 October 2021.
Thousands of people today organized rallies across the United States in support of abortion rights. The protest is said to have been aggravated by the new Texas law which went into effect in September limiting/restricting access to abortions in the state after around six weeks of pregnancy.
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According to BBC News, “Pro-choice supporters across the country fear that constitutional rights may be rolled back….In the coming months, the Supreme Court is set to hear a case that could overturn Roe v Wade – the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.”
According to Reuters News Agency, “In the Texas capital of Austin, hundreds gathered in sweltering heat to denounce the so-called “heartbeat” law signed by Governor Greg Abbott. It bans abortion after cardiac activity is detected in the embryo, usually around six weeks. That is before most women know they are pregnant and earlier than 85% to 90% of all abortions are carried out, experts say….Washington protesters marched to the U.S. Supreme Court two days before the court reconvenes for a session in which the justices will consider a Mississippi case that could enable them to overturn abortion rights established in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case.”
While demonstrating on the street, they were disrupted by some two dozens of counter-demonstration according to the BBC News. The Washington Post newspaper according to BBC reported that one woman attending the marches was only out to promote the rights of women and has not faced the situation of abortion “While I’ve never been faced with that choice, fortunately, there are many women who have and our government and men have no say in the outcome when it comes to our bodies,” this is the position of many women who are demonstrating today.
Read more on BBC News
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Berinyuy Cajetan is the founder and publisher of Human Rights and Legal Research Centre (HRLRC) since 2017. He has intensive experience in strategic communications for Civil Society Organizations, campaign and advocacy, and social issues. He has an intensive experiencing in human rights monitoring, documentation and reporting.
