When the United States Supreme Court recognised in Roe v. Wade (1973) that access to abortion is a fundamental civil right, it not only secured the legality of abortion for US citizens, it also strengthened the international reproductive rights movements. The fact that the current Supreme Court repealed the constitutionally protected right is not simply ironic, it counters the global trend of recognising abortion as a fundamental human right.
In New Zealand, abortion is now treated as a health matter. Decriminalising the procedure and removing barriers to accessing services is a step toward destigmatising abortion and placing the pregnant person at the centre of the law.
Ensuring equitable access to publicly-funded abortion reinforces the importance of reproductive rights and the government's obligations in protecting them. Ultimately, it recognises that enabling women (and those who do not identify with the female gender but have female reproductive biology) to enjoy rights as equal citizens requires that their reproductive choices are “legally respected, not criminalised”.
