Since the US Supreme Court ruled in June 2022 that abortion is not protected by the US Constitution, abortion access has been in the forefront of the news, as states across the country continue to pass restrictive laws and bans on abortion. Activists are fighting back in state courts to maintain women’s right to make their own decisions about reproductive health.
An abortion ban in North Dakota is on hold while a case filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights and other activists is being litigated. Under the law, a doctor who performs an abortion would be charged with a felony and then have to prove the procedure was done in cases of either rape or incest or to save the mother’s life.
Abortion providers in South Carolina successfully argued in state court that an abortion ban after 6 weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant, violates the South Carolina state constitution’s right to privacy.
While legal action continues, organizations like the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP) are working to ensure women have access to the care they need, regardless of their income or location. A nationwide non-profit organization, WRRAP provides financial assistance to low-income women seeking abortion care, referrals to abortion providers and other reproductive health services, and advocacy for reproductive rights.
These developments highlight the urgent need at the state level for continued advocacy and support for reproductive rights. Activists are working to ensure all women have access to safe and affordable abortion care.
To learn more about how having, or not having, reproductive rights affects women’s lives, watch women from four generations tell their personal stories in Stand UP, Speak OUT Episode 3: Reproductive Rights.
