UN experts accuse US states of ‘manipulating’ pandemic to restrict abortion access

United Nations experts accused some of US states of “manipulating” executive orders amid coronavirus crisis to curb women’s reproductive rights. UN Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls expressed regret that emergency orders suspending procedures not deemed immediately medically necessary h been used by states including Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, Iowa, and Ohio to restrict access to abortion.

“We regret that above-mentioned states, with a long history of restrictive practices against abortion, appear to be manipulating crisis to severely restrict women’s reproductive rights,” said Elizabeth Broderick, Vice-Chair of Working Group, in a statement.

UN Working Group furr highlighted importance of access to abortion services during pandemic as women are facing mobility restrictions due to quarantines and lockdowns. Broderick said that ongoing situation is illustrating a pattern of restrictions and retrogressions in access to legal abortion care across country.

“We fear that, without clear political will to reverse such restrictive and regressive trends, states will continue pursuing this pattern,” she ded.

'Putting women at risk'

Working Group expressed serious concern that officials are putting women at risk by denying access to time-sensitive abortion care which will worsen systematic inequalities. expert said that women will be forced to travel out of state with such rules to access abortion care, putting ir own health at risk.

Broderick emphasised that abortion care constitutes essential health care and must remain available during COVID-19 crisis. Working Group said it is “extremely concerned” by US insistence to remove references to “sexual and reproductive health and its derivatives” from Global Humanitarian Response Plan on COVID-19. It warned that removing references to sexual and reproductive health from HRP will have devastating consequences for women worldwide.

“We reiterate that sexual and reproductive health services, including access to safe and legal abortion, are essential and must remain a key component of UN’s priorities in its responses to COVID-19 pandemic,” it ded.

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(Image credit: AP)