CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Today, Kelly Blanchard, President of Ibis Reproductive Health, released the statement below about the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
“Forty-six years after the Supreme Court recognized that laws prohibiting abortion violated a woman’s constitutional right to privacy, the right to have a safe and legal abortion is still not accessible for many people in the United States. More than a thousand state-level restrictions prevent Roe’s protections from being a reality for millions across the country. These barriers especially impact low-income women, people of color, and young people who face some of the greatest challenges to access and are most affected by these medically unnecessary and discriminatory laws.
This is unacceptable. And yet, even as states such as New York take bold action to solidify abortion rights, new limitations that further disadvantage low-income women and people of color are still being debated in many states and in Congress.
All people have the right to access safe, affordable, quality abortion care. On the anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision, we recognize the people who cannot access the care they need. By partnering with communities who cannot access care, we will aim to shift power to the communities most affected because that is the best way to make the broader change we seek. Access to abortion is a necessary part of reproductive health care, and is key to ensuring people’s autonomy. We urge the new Congress and the new Court to not just uphold, but expand access to the right to have a safe and legal abortion in the United States.”