My Human Right.
In the last year alone, we have seen a surge in the rollback of women’s human rights globally. Most recently the curtailment of women’s reproductive rights in countries like Argentina, and the U.S. is a prime example of the systemic barriers of oppression that women face globally. The abortion bans and laws that restrict a woman’s access to safe and legal abortions are a violation of women’s human right to bodily autonomy.
Across the globe, 40% of women of childbearing age live in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws, or where abortion is legal, it is neither available or accessible. In October 2006, Nicaragua banned abortion in all circumstances. Abortion has been illegal in the Philippines since 1930 when it was first criminalized. In Egypt abortion was banned in all circumstances in 1937, however, criminal law allows flexibility on grounds of “necessity.” Abortion is illegal in Senegal the only exception being to save the mother’s life. And most recently, the U.S state, Alabama, voted to ban all abortions with seven other states now implementing excessive abortion restrictions.
Our fifth of 5 actions to EndVAW (Violence Against Women) is a campaign to advocate for the reproductive rights and bodily autonomy of women globally. In many circumstances, progress for women’s human rights is being repealed. With countries denying the right to women’s bodily autonomy, it creates a slippery slope for future restrictions and limitations of women’s rights. Reproductive rights are human rights. Restricting the right to safe abortion services and forcing a woman to carry out an unwanted pregnancy is a violation of women’s human rights.
Through our last action to EndVAW, we hope to engage and communicate with the global community the significance of these bans globally and why we all — more than ever — need to be committed to this fight for abortion rights.
This month’s campaign is divided into two parts:
- Community Engagement Piece: This is an issue that affects every one of us. We want to hear from you about how this issue relates to you personally, your community or the wider movement to advance women’s rights to which we are all a part. Every day we will upload an InstaStory, on the Women’s March Global Instagram, sharing facts and questions about abortion rights. We encourage you to connect and engage with us to learn more about this issue through these stories.
- Education Piece: We will be holding webinars with organisations and experts from the reproductive rights field to talk about laws, resources, global realities to safe access to abortion. These webinars will be conducted on the Women’s March Global Facebook page.
Take Action Now!
Join us by signing this letter to support and unite for abortion rights worldwide as we mobilise for a Global Day of Solidarity on September 28, International Safe Abortion Day.
SIGN AND SHARE THIS CAMPAIGN (copy and paste this text):
Join us by signing this letter to unite for abortion rights worldwide as we mobilise for a Global Day of Solidarity on September 28, International Safe Abortion Day. Sign here to support women’s reproductive rights: http://ow.ly/GsgM50uy9S6 #WomensMarchGlobal
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Maya Hendler is an Intern at Women’s March Global.
