The past few decades have experienced a surge in population numbers in most parts of the world. So concerned are the nations that some of them are now asking for compulsory administration of birth controls and mandatory sterilization. In cases where these methods or voluntary birth control methods fail, then abortion becomes an option.
Since abortion is an essential part of women’s control in reproduction, more attention should be paid to the arising concerns such as accessibility to safe abortion. Although the need for abortion is common, there is a lack of access to safe abortion advice and services. According to Oberman (2018), abortion is a healthcare need for millions of girls and women who are at risk of carrying unwanted pregnancies or pregnancies with complications. The decision about whether to give birth or should be left to these girls and women. It is paramount they make their own decisions since abortion affects them directly.
Trusting women when it comes to matters related to abortion should be the first step to ensuring advancement in reproductive justice. Access to safe abortion services helps protect the health and lives of women and girls involved (Center for Reproductive Rights, 2020). Therefore, respecting a woman’s rights and decisions to plan her life or family calls for governments to formulate laws that assure women of safe, legal, and easily accessible abortion services (Amnesty International, 2020). By doing so, governments would enable women who get pregnant unwillingly to have a safe abortion and focus on other goals such as attaining higher education or developing their careers.
When a woman carries unwanted pregnancy, it takes a toll on the woman’s well-being and affects her mental, emotional, and physical health. Thus, the decision made by these women about their bodies, especially about their reproductive capacity, should lie squarely in the domain of their decision-making. It is only a pregnant woman who should decide whether she wants to keep it or terminate it. Therefore, their decisions should be respected, and the relevant authorities should ensure they have access to safe and legal abortion services without discrimination or stigmatization.