Abortion is Your Right, Not a Privilege to Be Earned.
Reproductive Choice Is Not Just a Right for Survivors; It's Freedom for All Women
Risk Warning: the content of this blog may discuss sensitive topics, including reproductive rights, unintended pregnancies, sexual assault, and abortion. Reader discretion is advised.
As the creator of Rightfully Hers, I’ve always been deeply passionate about reproductive rights. However, reflecting on the events of 2024 has struck a particularly personal chord, underscoring not only the progress we’ve made but also the concerning setbacks we still face.
At the start of November, I sat in disbelief as the U.S. election results rolled in. This wasn’t just about politics—it was about the tangible threat to women’s rights. The fear of what might follow for abortion access in the U.S. is palpable. Shortly after, in the UK, Nigel Farage’s proposal to reopen debates on abortion left me reeling. Meanwhile, in Australia, unspoken barriers to access have come into focus, with abortion becoming a topic in Queensland’s upcoming election debates. The growing trend of using women’s bodily autonomy as a political tool is deeply unsettling.
In Hungary, the situation is equally dire. A law introduced in September forces women to listen to a fetal heartbeat before undergoing an abortion—a cruel and unnecessary barrier to essential care.
However, not all the news has been bleak. This year, France became the first country in the world to explicitly enshrine the right to abortion in its constitution—a landmark victory for reproductive rights. Growing up in Scotland, where abortion is free and accessible, I’ve also witnessed encouraging progress. Scotland recently introduced buffer zone legislation, ensuring women can attend appointments free from harassment. This places Scotland among a select few countries—alongside Australia and New Zealand—with nationwide buffer zones.
That said, no country is immune to gaps in care. In Scotland, abortion access is restricted after 20 weeks—not by law, but due to a shortage of trained doctors. This forces many women to travel abroad to receive the services they need. It’s a stark reminder that even in progressive systems, flaws and vulnerabilities that impact women persist.
Globally, the situation is even more dire. In countries like the Philippines, El Salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Iraq, and Haiti, abortion is entirely banned—even in life-threatening situations. Meanwhile, nations such as Poland, Kenya, Ireland, and India impose severe restrictions, stripping millions of women of their autonomy and dignity. These restrictive abortion laws don’t stop abortions but instead push women into unsafe and life-threatening situations.
This month in Rightfully Hers, we’re equipping you with the data and insights you need to advocate for meaningful change. In 2024, it’s astonishing that we’re still debating whether women deserve the right to make choices about their own bodies. For those who may not yet feel the urgency of this fight, we’ll provide a clear perspective on:
The unequal burden unplanned pregnancies place on women—through no fault of their own.
The key arguments cited by anti-abortion advocates and the persistent double standards that continue to police women’s bodies.
We advocate for policies and practices that uphold shared accountability while respecting the autonomy and rights of both men and women.
Every woman, everywhere, deserves the right to make her own choices—free from political and religious interference.
Abortion Should Never Be Dependent on Trauma
There is a dangerous shift in thinking suggests abortion should only be legal in cases of rape or incest. In fact, only 27% of adults across 29 countries surveyed believe abortion should be fully legal.1 This dangerous mindset suggests that only women who have experienced trauma are "entitled" to bodily autonomy. It sends a harmful and deeply flawed message—that a woman’s right to make choices about her own body is conditional, dependent on her victimhood and survival of assault.
An upcoming Rightfully Hers edition, "Assaulted. Denied. Imprisoned: The Struggle of Survivors Under Complete Abortion Bans," will delve into the very real emotional and practical barriers rape survivors face when seeking an abortion.
While these discussions are vital, today we focus on a broader issue: granting abortion access only in these extreme cases fundamentally disregards a critical truth. Every woman, regardless of her circumstances, has the undeniable right to make decisions about her body and her future. Framing abortion as a privilege granted only in extreme situations not only stigmatizes reproductive rights but also erases the realities of countless women facing unplanned pregnancies.
Disproportionate Burden of Unplanned Pregnancy
Unplanned pregnancies can arise from a multitude of circumstances, and women's bodies should not be viewed as vessels requiring justification for their autonomy. Approximately 257 million women who wish to avoid pregnancy lack access to modern contraceptive methods, due to various factors, including inadequate healthcare provisions, partner refusal, or financial constraints.2 Nearly 1 in 10 women have no choice in whether to use contraception.3 This gap is further exacerbated by societal pressures and gender inequalities that limit women’s reproductive autonomy. The UNFPA reported that across 69 countries a quarter of women still cannot make their own decisions about sex with partners, contraception, and seeking health care.4
Ultimately, it is critical to understand that unplanned pregnancies are never solely the result of a woman's actions alone.
The societal tendency to place the blame entirely on women—often using terms like “she got herself pregnant” or “she planned to trap him”—isolates women and ignores the role men play in these situations. Carrying an unplanned pregnancy to term disproportionately affects women, placing significant physical and financial burdens on them while often leading to long-term emotional challenges. The consequences are significant:
Women may suffer income losses of 20% within five years following an unplanned pregnancy compared to expected earnings had the pregnancy not occurred.5
The likelihood of a woman working in high-skill occupations drops by nearly 20% after an unplanned pregnancy.6
For women aged 22-27, earnings can decline by as much as 33% within six years post-pregnancy.7
Those still studying at the time of an unintended pregnancy experience earnings losses that are twice as high as those not enrolled.8
The evidence is clear: unplanned pregnancies significantly affect women’s physical health, mental well-being, and economic stability—even though such pregnancies result from circumstances involving others. The disproportionate responsibility on mothers is also starkly evident in single-parent households. Approximately 83% of single-parent families in the US are headed by women9 and 90% in the UK are headed by mothers—a figure that has remained relatively stable over the past decade.10
Given such data, it is perplexing to limit abortion access only to cases of abuse (with proof required), when women worldwide face a myriad of circumstances—many beyond their control—that lead to unplanned pregnancies. Prioritising fetal rights over a woman’s autonomy disregards her ability to make decisions about her own body and what she feels is best for herself and her future child. Women deserve the autonomy to navigate these situations that impact them the most.
The Double Standards of Reproductive Rights and Bodily Autonomy
Beyond its use as a political tool, opponents of abortion frequently cite reasons such as protecting fetal life, moral and religious beliefs about the sanctity of life, and upholding traditional family values. Forcing a woman to carry an unwanted pregnancy does not strengthen family values but instead, as we have seen in the data, can harm her and also the family. Families in precarious situations may struggle to provide for a child, which ultimately conflicts with the goal of strengthening family units. Protecting a woman’s ability to make decisions regarding reproduction can contribute to healthier, more stable families.
Many male-dominated institutions continue to make decisions that render contraception and abortion illegal, placing the full burden of these choices on women. Globally, women hold just 26.5% of parliamentary seats, and in 21 countries, they account for less than 10% of lawmakers—some chambers have no women at all. The disparity is even more stark in religious institutions. For instance, the Catholic Church has no female clergy, and women hold only limited decision-making roles at the Vatican. The fact that these decisions are predominantly made by men—many of whom have never experienced the physical or emotional complexities of pregnancy or motherhood—only deepens the injustice women face. This imbalance highlights the reality behind the 'no uterus, no choice' slogan that some see as exclusionary.
If the same moral, ethical and family value-centric focus were applied to men, solutions might involve reversible vasectomies at puberty or mandatory long-term contraception until they explicitly opt to become fathers. These measures would drastically reduce unplanned pregnancies and the death rate related to unsafe abortions. But such policies would be rightly seen as invasive and unacceptable—exposing the hypocrisy in controlling anyone’s body as a means of achieving societal goals.
Ultimately, women’s bodies are policed and scrutinised globally, while men escape similar restrictions. Women are expected to shoulder the consequences of reproductive decisions, whether it's managing contraception, seeking an abortion, or navigating societal stigma, while men often evade accountability.
But think about this: if women-led groups were in charge of reproductive decisions about men’s bodies—whether it was access to vasectomies or erectile dysfunction treatments—the outcry would be swift, vocal, and rightfully so. This is the double standard that women face daily when it comes to reproductive rights.
Shared Accountability And Comprehensive Solutions
Logically, if we genuinely want to protect children, preserve the sanctity of life, and support families in increasing the birth rate, then restrictive abortion laws are not an effective way to achieve these goals. Instead, we need to focus on more comprehensive solutions that empower both women and men to make informed, autonomous decisions about their futures as parents.
Let’s start by recognising that some women, for personal reasons, may choose not to abort an unplanned pregnancy. An effective solution that aligns with the goals of anti-abortion advocates while addressing the disproportionate impact this has on women is to offer enhanced paid family leave and flexible work arrangements for mothers. These policies can provide crucial support for women who choose to carry unplanned pregnancies to term, helping them balance their careers and family responsibilities without the added financial and emotional stress. Our Rightfully Hers edition, For Every Child a Woman Has, Her Earnings Are Cut by an Average of 15%, will be live in February, exploring this issue in greater depth. Strengthening support for adoption as an alternative to abortion is another way to offer women choices. This can include providing financial assistance, housing support, and access to childcare services.
Additionally, criminalising irresponsible reproductive behaviours, such as abandoning partners or coercing pregnancy decisions, would shift the accountability to both parties involved. Implementing laws where abortions are banned that will require shared responsibility can help create a more equitable approach to reproductive rights and ease the disproportionate burden on women.
Going one step further, stricter paternity responsibility laws are crucial. These laws should require men to provide financial, emotional, and logistical support for pregnancies and children resulting from unplanned pregnancies. Current anti-abortion laws fail to recognise the shared responsibility of both partners and perpetuate a system where women bear the consequences, despite both contributing to the situation. This approach would place more responsibility on men for the outcomes of unplanned pregnancies, fostering shared accountability.
These measures can also be applied in countries where abortion is legal. Research shows that stronger child support enforcement can incentivise men to be more cautious about unintended pregnancies. When men are held financially accountable for the children they father, they are more likely to take proactive steps to prevent unwanted pregnancies, such as using contraception. Studies indicate that the full implementation of child support laws has led to a reduction in abortion rates by 1-2 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 per year.11 For example, in the UK, with approximately 16 million women in that age group, a 0.2% decrease in the abortion rate would result in roughly 32,000 fewer abortions annually.
Continuing in a world where we don’t impose laws on anyone’s body—neither men’s nor women’s. Countries should focus on solutions that promote shared accountability and ultimately reduce the need for abortions. Making contraception more accessible and affordable is key. The Contraceptive CHOICE Project, which provided free contraception, averted more than 286,000 unintended pregnancies.12 Implementing comprehensive sex education (CSE) in schools and communities ensures people have the knowledge to make informed decisions about contraception, sexual health, and relationships. Programs promoting CSE are five times more likely to be successful in preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections when they address gender and power topics.13 These solutions are particularly significant as they address the needs of marginalised and low-income communities, where access to reproductive health services can be limited.
While promoting all of the aforementioned measures, it’s essential to also recognise that unplanned pregnancies will still occur and not all pregnancies can, should, or are wanted to be carried to term. Abortion must remain legal and safe for those who choose it. As women, we fully understand the profound and life-altering consequences of giving birth. The reality is that, regardless of legal restrictions, women will seek abortions when they deem it necessary for their health, well-being, or personal circumstances. This global trend underscores a harsh truth: women will go to extreme lengths to regain control over their reproductive choices, even in the face of unsafe and unregulated options due to legal suppression in their countries. The recurring theme is undeniable: we continue to fail women by restricting their rights and choices over their own bodies.
The solution involves addressing and correcting the injustice of one-sided reproductive rights. The conversation must shift, beginning with a recognition of the disparities in how we view bodily autonomy and responsibility. By challenging these double standards, we can move toward a society where reproductive rights and responsibilities are shared equally between men and women.
Every woman deserves the fundamental right to decide if, when, and how she will bring a child into the world, free from government, religious, or societal limitations that dictate what constitutes a “worthy” reason for her choice.
About the writer
Meet Ellie, a dedicated advocate for empowering women in leadership and advancing women's health and human rights. With a solid foundation from Harvard University and Stanford University, Ellie brings a unique blend of academic insight and practical experience to her mission. Over the past 7 years, she has excelled as a management consultant across multiple industries, gaining valuable expertise in driving product success and navigating diverse organizational challenges.
Ellie is driven by a clear mission: to inspire and equip women with the skills and confidence needed to thrive in their careers, while promoting gender equality and international women’s rights.