Friday, 29 Mar 2024

Opinion | To Guarantee Women’s Rights

To the Editor:

Re “A Woman’s Rights” (editorial series):

As a reproductive health care provider at Family Health Options Kenya, I found that my efforts to resuscitate dying women and children were the most devastating moments of my career.

I remember Jennifer (it’s a pseudonym), 21, who was 33 weeks pregnant, living in Kibera, an urban slum in Nairobi. “Please help; she’s dying!” her brother shouted as he rushed her to the emergency room, but it was too late. Jennifer and her unborn baby died there because of domestic violence. Jennifer died a preventable death.

Every day, young women like Jennifer face inaccessible health care, domestic violence, delayed decision-making that leads to dangerous abortions, unintended pregnancy and criminal prosecution.

And as if these series of abuses aren’t atrocious enough, women who do survive life-threatening abortions and miscarriages are increasingly being criminalized, from Guatemala to Indiana.

We must urge Congress to support the Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act, which would permanently repeal the global gag rule and protect the health of women across the world.

Lives and livelihoods depend on it.

Melvine P. Ouyo
Boston
The writer is a student at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

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