Stephanie Cruz-Guzman

Principles of Sociology

Professor Brown

July 14, 2024

Advocating for Reproductive Justice

Abortion is one of the most sensitive and controversial topics in modern society,

involving core issues of ethics, religion, and human rights. At its heart, the abortion debate

focuses on individuals' control over their own bodies, the sacred value of life, and the role of

government in regulating reproductive decisions. Despite strong resistance from many different

groups, it is critical to assert that abortion is a crucial reproductive right that must be protected

and made available. This thesis asserts that maintaining access to safe and legal abortion services

is not only an issue of human liberty, but also an essential component of equality for women and

public health policy. Abortion is more than just a theoretical argument; it is an actual reality for

millions of people around the world. This thesis proposes that protecting and expanding access to

abortion services is a critical reproductive right that supports gender equality, public health, and

social justice. It requires a deep understanding of all of the factors involved, such as ethical

issues, legal frameworks, and the various views of individuals directly affected by reproductive

decisions. By navigating through these issues, societies can work toward policies that respect and

support all persons' rights, regardless of their reproductive choices.

Abortion laws and practices have a long history that goes back many centuries, and the

attitudes towards abortions as well as the legal regulations have witnessed significant changes

over time. Traditionally, abortion restrictions were based on the demand side, where emphasis

was placed on parental consent; today, restrictions are based on the supply side, which focuses
on the abortion facilities. Initially, factors such as the need to protect fetal life, the view of

absorption as a sin, and the danger sparked restrictions. However, following the invention of safe

abortion methods, abortion became common in the early 1900s and was even recommended for

controlling population size (Berer, 2017). However, with changes in religious and moral

demographics, many countries have started banning or outlawing the procedure. The prohibition

of abortion was observed in many countries during the 19th and the beginning of the 20th

centuries. This trend started to change in the mid-20th century when the Soviet Union, Japan,

and several European countries allowed abortion under some conditions.

The rights of women to abort have been defined by several court cases. In the United

States, the 1973 decision of Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in the country and confirmed it as a

constitutional right (Santini, 2016). On the same note, in Ireland, the inclusion of the 8th

Constitutional Amendment in 1973 saw the government have potential power over women's

bodies (Santini, 2016). For instance, an X-case that involved 14-year-old women as rape victims

saw the Irish government win the injunction that prevented the woman from traveling to England

to abort the unwanted pregnancy. The same kinds of key cases also happened in other countries,

which over time increased the availability of safe and lawful abortions. These legal changes have

significantly affected women’s rights and decision-making processes, in as much as they have

enhanced reproductive autonomy. Some people believe that women have a right to abortion

because it is their body and they should be able to do with it as they wish. However, the problem

has not been solved and continues to cause heated discussions and court cases in many countries,

which proves the multifaceted nature of the ethical, religious, and political aspects of the

abortion issue.
 Safe and legal abortion services are important for enhancing women’s health status. Thus,

when abortions are carried out by qualified personnel in the right facilities, the chances of the

procedure having adverse effects are greatly minimized. Legal access makes it possible for

women to be informed about their reproductive health and avoid risky underground procedures.

Emergency contraception services are crucial in decreasing mortality and complications among

women who experience unwanted pregnancy and where continued pregnancy is dangerous to the

life of the mother. According to Tarico (2016), through absorption, women are able to address

unwanted and unhealthy pregnancies, giving them a fresh start.

Also, legal access to abortion means that women receive adequate counseling,

post-abortion care, and coordination with other reproductive health services. It also assists in

avoiding social and economic vices that may result from unwanted teenage pregnancies. In

conclusion, safe and legal abortions are basic to women’s rights, health, and bodily integrity in

society.

The limitation of women’s right to obtain an abortion could lead to adverse effects in the

lives of people and the community. This means that when safe, legal abortions are hard to come

by, women will opt for unsafe and unlawful abortions, leading to complications and even death.

This can lead to a rise in the number of women who die while giving birth and experience

complications during childbirth (Joffe, 2018). Besides, the limitation on abortion access for

teenage pregnancies may lead to early parenting, which may be unwanted, low educational

achievement, and mental health complications among women and families. Further, limitations

on abortion access strain the preparedness of families to have children, where children born to

families that are not ready or willing to take care of them will likely be exposed to poverty,

neglect, or abuse. At the societal level, abortion restrictions lead to inadequate funding of health
care, social services, foster care services, and even abortion clinic closures (Joffe, 2018). These

can also violate women’s bodily integrity and reproductive freedom, which may reverse the gains

made on the rights of women of various parity in different aspects of life.

The right to abortion today is threatened by many obstacles. There is heightened political

polarization, and this has led to the passage of even more restrictive anti-abortion laws in some

states. For instance, in Latin America and Brazil, among other countries, abortion laws have

remained highly restrictive despite the increased demands for women's sexual and reproductive

rights, which have seen women turn to self-induced abortion (Berer, 2017). Besides, unclear

abolition policies have significantly challenged abolition rights where they impact ambiguous

interpretations. In Uganda, for instance, the national reproductive health policy is not being

implemented nor supported by the law, which presents a significant challenge in exercising the

right (Berer, 2017). Further, despite the increased campaign for absorption rights

implementation, limited health care providers and limited awareness of abortion rights reduce the

accessibility of the services. Therefore, the underlying challenges continue to undermine the

extent to which abortion rights are exercised to accrue the underlying benefits associated with

safe abortion.

Advancing reproductive access calls for a multifaceted approach. This encompasses

supporting the provision of accurate sex education to increase awareness, increase access to

contraceptives, and increase the accessibility of telemedicine in abortion. Measures should be

directed at the elimination of barriers to abortion access, such as a financial barrier, especially for

individuals who are unable to afford a safe and quality abortion. Moreso, expanding the medical

workforce with trained abortion care providers and shielding them from harassment will improve

service access (Joffe, 2018). Further, legal change of oppressive laws and advocacy for
evidence-based policy change are vital in advancing reproductive access. Ultimately, the

approach to demystifying abortion by conducting awareness campaigns for the public would

ensure that those requiring reproductive health services are supported.

In conclusion, the right to safe and legal abortion is a critical component of women’s

health and human rights. The provision of reproductive health care, which includes abortion

services, allows people to control their bodies and future. It is important to defend and expand

these rights, knowing that reproductive freedom is a determinant factor of women and families’

quality of life.
 Bibliography

Tarico, Valerie. “Why I Am Pro-Abortion, Not Just pro-Choice.” Free Inquiry, Free
Inquiry, 8 July 2016,
secularhumanism.org/2016/07/cont-why-i-am-pro-abortion-not-just-pro-choice/.

Virginia Santini. “Our Right to Choose: Challenging the State’s Control over Women’s
Bodies.” Socialist Lawyer, no. 72, 2016, pp. 39–41. JSTOR,
https://doi.org/10.13169/socialistlawyer.72.0039. Accessed 17 June 2024.

Joffe, Carole. “THE STRUGGLE TO SAVE ABORTION CARE.” Contexts, vol. 17, no. 3,
2018, pp. 22–27. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26500910. Accessed 17 June 2024.

BERER, MARGE. “Abortion Law and Policy Around the World: In Search of
Decriminalization.” Health and Human Rights, vol. 19, no. 1, 2017, pp. 13–27. JSTOR,
http://www.jstor.org/stable/90007912. Accessed 17 June 2024.