All human beings have the right to life, the right to health, and the right to be free from violence, discrimination, torture, and cruel or degrading treatment. Access to safe and legal abortion is essential to upholding these fundamental rights, as well as many others protected under international human rights law.
Yet, abortion rights are not universally recognized or protected. Across the globe, countless pregnant people face legal barriers to accessing abortion care. In countries like the United States, Sierra Leone, Poland, and Morocco, abortion is criminalized, even for those who assist someone in obtaining one. In places such as Equatorial Guinea and Zambia, pregnant people can face life imprisonment simply for seeking out an abortion.
Yet criminalizing abortion does not now, and will not ever, stop it from happening, it only makes it incredibly dangerous. When abortion is restricted or outlawed, pregnant people are often forced to undergo dangerous, clandestine procedures. These unsafe abortions can lead to severe health complications and death.
Protecting the right to choose is not just a matter of healthcare, it’s a matter of human rights. To ensure dignity, safety, and equality for all, abortion must be safe, legal, and accessible everywhere.