Bulletin No.17
Roe v Wade
Discussion: Roe v Wade
On June 24th this year, the United States Supreme Court overturned the ruling made in Roe v Wade which had previously determined that criminalisation and over-policing by the state of abortion violated a woman’s constitutional right to privacy. This overturning has been considered by Amnesty International to be an immense setback for women in regards to privacy, bodily autonomy, and an infringement on a number of key human rights for women across the USA.
The Roe v Wade case began in 1970 when Norma McCorvey instituted federal action against the district attorney of Dallas County in regards to her rights to terminate her pregnancy. The Court attempted to balance the interests of the potential life of foetuses with the rights and health of pregnancy women by instituting a point after which the state would be permitted to regulate abortion.
Many found this ruling to be a landmark victory in protecting human and women’s rights. However, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the ruling this June has been met with backlash by many; the British Pregnancy Advisement Survey calling it an “assault on women’s human rights, their lives, and their families” due to the reduction of abortion rights en-masse across the US. There is a danger according to many that this is a degradation of women’s rights, and could potentially lead to a further removal of pivotal human rights that have taken an extraordinary time to achieve.
This fear expressed on behalf of many human-rights organisations is potentially forming a reality, represented in recent state response; in the first month following the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade, 11 states had banned abortion completely or implemented a six-week ban. Research by the Guttmacher Institute shows that by July 24, the number of clinics offering abortions in these states dropped by 43, from 71 to 28; further clinic closures may potentially deepen inequities in access to care.
There is a particular danger that the limitations made to abortion access will hit low-income households and people of colour the hardest, partially as low-income women are statistically less likely to use contraception, and therefore more likely to get pregnant. For many women who are now forced to cross state lines to access satisfactory abortion care, the financial and mental cost of reproductive privacy is greater than ever.
The Human Rights Watch also highlight the statistical relationship between restrictive abortion legislation and increases in maternal mortality, emphasising that key human rights are being violated through the restriction of appropriate sexual health education and reproductive care.
Internal Opportunities
- The University of Manchester provides a handbook for those that are unsure of reproductive or sexual health, which can be accessed here for individuals looking to educate themselves on the issue: https://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/taking-care/imworriedabout/health/sexual-health/
- Women’s Aid (Manchester Division) is an organisation protecting women’s rights to violence-free homes, and also allows volunteers to join and is always looking for representatives and participants who are keen to represent women’s rights. You can learn more at https://www.womensaid.org.uk
External Opportunities
- Woman Kind is an organisation dedicated to ending violence and harm against girls and women, limited not just to reproductive health but spanning financial independence economic growth, and freedom from domestic violence. You can donate at https://www.womankind.org.uk
Charity Spotlight
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is a US-based charity that holds abortion clinics across the US, as well as centres that educate about birth control, family planning, and more, often bridging the gap for marginalised communities to have access to often desperately-needed care. You can donate here or learn more about issues such as the abortion bans at https://www.plannedparenthood.org
