Swedish MPs address Biden administration on the 1st anniversary of repeal of the Global Gag Rule
Camilla Hansén, riksdagsledamot från Örebro län, har tillsammans med SRHR-nätverket i Sveriges riksdag skrivit under ett öppet brev till President Biden och Vicepresident Harris om nätverkets stöd för rätten till säker abort och sexuella och reproduktiva rättigheter i hela världen.
Dear Mr. President, Ms. Vice President
We, the Swedish cross-party parliamentary group for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), believe in the right of every individual to make decisions about their own body, life and future. Today, on the 28th of January 2022, on the anniversary of the repeal of the Global Gag Rule, we stand behind you in your efforts to protect sexual and reproductive rights domestically and worldwide, including your efforts to put a permanent end to the Global Gag Rule. Despite the repeal of the policy, its chilling effects persist due to a fear that it will be reinstated by a future U.S. president.
We are deeply concerned about domestic developments related to the constitutional right to safe abortion in the U.S. With heavy hearts, we witnessed the state of Texas enforce a law that prohibits abortion after six weeks and the state of Mississippi ask the Supreme Court to
overturn Roe v. Wade – the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision, legalizing abortion nationwide. These are direct threats to rights that have been recognized and relied upon for 50 years. Along with these legislative developments, we have also witnessed a significant
increase in death threats of abortion providers and an escalation of clinic invasions and other activities aimed at disrupting services and blocking women’s access to abortion.
There will always be women and girls who wish to end their pregnancy for a number of different reasons. Strict abortion laws do not change this reality. As a result, women and girls risk their lives and their health when abortions are performed in illegal and unsafe ways. According to the WHO, almost 20 million unsafe abortions are performed annually, most of them in poor parts of the world. We have known for a long time that a large proportion of those who die from unsafe abortions live in low- and middle-income countries. The global
death toll is estimated at around 23,000 a year. Many more are injured, e.g. infections with sterility as a result. As observed in Mississippi already, the marginalised will be the ones most affected by stricter abortion laws and policies, exacerbating already existing discrimination. We are deeply worried that an overturn of Roe v. Wade will “fuel” anti-abortion forces in other parts of the world, with stricter abortion policies as a result.
But let us not forget the positive examples. Up to 80% of Americans do support legal abortion. The United States – the largest government funder of reproductive health in the world – plays a major role in the global effort to eliminate maternal mortality by preventing unsafe abortions. The amount of U.S. funding that has been channelled to family planning and sexual and reproductive health through the years, has saved many lives. In many regions of the world, we have also seen significant wins. In 2021 the Supreme Court of Mexico voted for decriminalization of abortion. Thailand's parliament voted by a large majority to allow abortions up to the 12th week of pregnancy. The Beninese parliament approved a new law in October that help facilitate abortion. Together, we must pay attention to, support and build on such examples.
Dear Mr. President; Ms. Vice President: We stand behind you in your efforts to protect sexual and reproductive rights globally and domestically, including your efforts to put a permanent end to the Global Gag Rule. We promise to do everything we can to ensure that the right to safe abortion remains on the Swedish, European and international agenda.
Yours sincerely,
Diana Laitinen Carlsson, the Social Democrats, President
Helena Storckenfeldt, the Moderate party, Vice President
Annika Qarlsson, the Center Party
Yasmine Posio, the Left Party
Gudrun Brunegård, the Christian Democrats
Juno Blom, the Liberals
Camilla Hansén, the Green Party
