Overturning Roe v Wade abortion law is a ‘severe blow to women’s human rights’ warns Bachelet – Global Affairs

The Supreme Court’s widely anticipated decision, by six votes to three, came in the specific case of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health, and Michelle Bachelet said in a statement which it represents a “major setback” to sexual and reproductive health across the United States.

The historic decision returns all questions about the legality and accessibility of abortion, to individual states.

Responding earlier to the US ruling, without making specific reference to it, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) note that a staggering 45% of all abortions around the world, are unsafe, making the procedure a leading cause of maternal death.

The agencies said it was inevitable that more women would die, due to increased national or regional government restrictions.

Limited, ineffective

“Whether abortion is legal or not, it happens all too often. The data show that restricting access to abortion does not prevent people from seeking an abortion, but simply makes it more dangerous.” UNFPA is marked.

According to the agencies’ Report on the state of world population in 2022Almost half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended and more than 60% of these may end in abortion.

UNFPA says that they fear that there will be more unsafe abortions around the world if access is more restricted.

“Decisions that reverse progress have been made have a broader impact on the rights and choices of women and young people everywhere,” the agency said.

The WHO echoed the message on their official Twitter account, reminding that removing barriers to abortion “protects women’s lives, health and human rights”.

An attack on women’s autonomy

Ms. Bachelet further reminded that access to safe, legal and effective abortion is rooted in international human rights law and is at the core of women’s and girls’ autonomy, and the ability to choose for themselves. their bodies and lives, free from discrimination, violence and coercion.

“This decision deprives millions of women of such autonomy in the United States, especially those with low incomes and those of racial and ethnic minorities.undermining their fundamental rights,” she warned.

The head of jurisdiction stressed that the decision came after more than 50 countries with previously restrictive laws have liberalized their abortion laws over the past 25 years.

“With today’s ruling, the United States is regretfully leaving this progressive trend.“, she speaks.

Meanwhile, the UN agency, UN Womenwarned in another statement that women’s ability to control what happens to their bodies, is also related to the roles women can play in society, whether as members of the family. family, workforce or government.

Responsibilities of States

The 1994 Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), signed by 179 countries including the United States, recognized how unsafe abortion was deadly, and at the same time calls on all countries to provide life-saving post-abortion care, regardless of the legal status of the abortion.

The document – the result of a high-level meeting in Cairo, Egypt – also emphasizes that all people have access to quality information about their reproductive health and contraceptive methods.

UNFPA, as the governing body of the Program of Action, supports the right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of children. as well as having the information and means to do so.

The agency also warned that if unsafe abortion continues, Sustainable Development Goal 3, related to maternal health, to which all United Nations Member States have committed, will put them at risk. muscle is not responding.