Abortion services are now harder to get in U.S., but many countries are increasing access

While the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade has left many Americans in shock, those looking for perspective may turn to activists around the world who have made important strides in abortion rights in the past few years, granting greater safety and access to reproductive care for all those who need it. In many of these countries, self-induced or black-market abortions present a serious, life-threatening issue for the population, illustrating the necessity for safe, regulated access to the service.

Argentina

A long fight to increase women’s rights and fight femicide led by tens of thousands of women who gathered under the symbol of a green bandana saw major victories in December 2020 when Argentina’s senate voted to legalize elective abortion procedures.

Mexico

Following in the footsteps and adopting the verdant symbol of their Southern counterparts, activists in Mexico celebrated in September 2021 when their Supreme Court decriminalized abortion by ruling that punishments for those receiving abortion services were unconstitutional.

Colombia

Colombia now has the most progressive abortion laws in Latin America and the Carribbean, second only to Canada in the Western world. Activists in the country sported the green bandana as well, citing influences and lessons they learned from their counterparts in other Latin American countries like destigmatizing the issue with a familiar public face. This movement led to the country’s Constitutional Court legalizing abortion in February of this year.

Thailand

While activists are still pushing for greater access and destigmatization, elective abortion in the first trimester was legalized in January 2021. This legislation was enacted against a backdrop of high teen pregnancy rates and complications from black market procedures are common.

South Korea

In January of 2021, abortion was decriminalized in South Korea after 67 years of a codified ban. The movement began in 2016 when women began taking to the streets by the thousands to protest the lack of access to abortion care. In a country with state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, people who have sought care in the unofficial clandestine marketplace have long been infuriated at the mismatch between ability and attitude when it comes to providing abortion services.

New Zealand

After 40 years of restrictive standards that required someone pregnant to seek approval from two doctors before being granted access to abortion care, New Zealand’s parliament passed a bill to grant access to abortion up to 20 weeks in early 2020. This move helps reframe abortion in the country as a medical procedure instead of a crime.

This story was originally published July 5, 2022 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Abortion services are now harder to get in U.S., but many countries are increasing access."