The right to abortion in the United States continues to face significant threats, according to a recent statement from Amnesty International. The report highlights how millions of Americans are being deprived of the human right to an abortion, especially following the pivotal U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, a case that had established the constitutional right to abortion in 1973.
Tarah Demant, National Director of Programs at Amnesty International USA, emphasized that the ruling has resulted in “a patchwork of devastating laws” across the country. Currently, abortions are nearly or entirely banned in 21 states, which she claims has precipitated a “human rights and healthcare crisis.” Amnesty International’s statement came just before the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe, effectively disrupting nearly five decades of established precedent on abortion rights.
Since Dobbs, states have moved to impose various legislative measures that restrict abortion access. It is illegal in 14 states, including Indiana, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. For instance, the Texas Supreme Court recently rejected a challenge to its abortion laws, while Louisiana’s governor signed a bill reclassifying two abortion-inducing drugs as low-tier controlled substances.
In a recent turn of events, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rejected an attempt by anti-abortion activists to restrict the availability of the abortion pill Mifepristone. The Court also heard oral arguments in April for a case concerning an abortion ban in Idaho, although a decision is still pending.
Globally, the Center for Reproductive Rights identifies the U.S. as one of only four countries that have “rolled back the legality of abortion” in the past three decades, joining Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Poland. This ongoing situation underscores the evolving and contentious nature of reproductive rights in the United States.
For further context and details, the full report can be accessed here.