‘Abortion ban can put women in danger’, UN said – US SC’s decision is a ‘big blow’ to human rights

Washington : The UN human rights chief has described the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion as a “big blow” to women’s human rights and gender equality. UN agencies have warned that restricting access to abortion will not deter people from seeking it, but will make it “more deadly”.

The US Supreme Court has struck down constitutional protection for abortion 50 years ago in the Roe v. Wade case. This development on Friday is likely to ban abortion in almost half of America’s states. According to the decision, the legality of abortion and all related questions will now depend on individual states of America, some of which have even banned abortion immediately.

‘Big blow to women’s human rights’
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Friday, “The Supreme Court of America’s decision on Friday in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization through Roe v. Wade protects five decades of protection of rights to sexual-reproductive health in the United States.” After that came as a big shock. This is a big blow to women’s human rights and gender equality.
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‘The danger will increase due to the ban’
She said that access to safe, legal and effective abortion is firmly enshrined in international human rights law. The World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted, “Every year there are more than 25 million unsafe abortions and 37,000 women die.” It warned that the evidence shows that restricting abortion will not reduce the number of abortions. However, women and girls are more likely to turn to unsafe procedures due to the ban.

There may be danger of illegal abortion
“Safe abortion is essential to protect the health of women and girls everywhere,” the WHO said. Restricting access to abortion protection would put most women and girls at risk of illegal abortions and would result in safety issues. UN Women, the UN agency on women’s empowerment and gender equality, said in a statement that reproductive rights are an integral part of women’s rights. This is a fact that has been upheld through international agreements and is reflected in law in different parts of the world.

Half of pregnancies are unwanted
It said, ‘When safe and legal access to abortion is restricted, women are often forced to resort to less-safe methods with harmful or disastrous consequences. In particular these include women from poverty or marginalized minority. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), citing its 2022 Status of World Population Report, said that nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended. More than 60 percent of these women can resort to abortion.