Reproductive Rights Serve as a "Basis" For Women And Girls' Empowerment, UN Spokeswoman

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 4 May 2022

After the leak of a draught legal decision that would overturn US abortion rights, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres believes that sexual and reproductive health and rights are the "foundation for lives of choice, empowerment, and equality for the world's women and girls," according to a UN spokesperson.

While UN spokesman Farhan Haq declined to comment directly on the draught US Supreme Court decision, he said Guterres has repeatedly expressed concern about "a global backlash" against women's rights, including reproductive rights and access to essential health services.

The draught ruling to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which legalised abortion statewide, was confirmed by the US Supreme Court, but it did not represent the final decision, which is expected by the end of June.

"While we've seen this document that has been leaked and it raises a number of concerns for all of us, in our international policies in terms of support for women and girls' reproductive health, we will continue to support those efforts," said US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

"We restored US standing on this issue," she told reporters.

In 2017, Trump cut money to the UN Population Fund because it "supports, or participates in the management of, a programme of coerced abortion or involuntary sterilisation," according to Trump. According to the UN, this is an incorrect perception. The funding has been reinstated by President Joe Biden's administration.