Abortion Bans Strip People of Their Human Rights. Here’s Why We Must Stand In Solidarity Against Them

Abortion Bans Strip People of Their Human Rights. Here's Why We Must Stand In Solidarity Against Them

By Uma Mishra-Newbery and Jaime Todd-Gher
September 27, 2019

Banning abortions isn’t particularly effective. When governments restrict access to abortion, abortions actually continue to take place at roughly the same rate, according to the World Health Organization. But they get less safe. When abortion services are denied or limited, coat hangers, toxic herbal medicines and unqualified practitioners step into the breach, while medical professionals who provide proper care are criminalized.

Total bans or restrictive abortion laws in countries like El Salvador, Poland and more recently several U.S. states (including Louisiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama and Missouri) are designed to control and confine women and girls to stereotypical gender roles. They are an affront to their human rights and dignity and constitute gender discrimination. For transgender and queer people who need abortions, such restrictive laws are the latest in a long line of attacks on their rights and freedoms.

Continued: https://time.com/5684858/international-safe-abortion-day/