MSI Australia stands in solidarity with the women’s march taking place across the USA on Saturday 14 May and abortion providers who are facing unruly legal attacks on abortion care and access.
Leaked papers have revealed that Roe vs Wade could be overturned in coming months, putting legal access to abortions across the nation at risk.
MSI Australia Managing Director Jamal Hakim said overturning the legal precedent would have repercussions worldwide and called for more investment in abortion care services in Australia.
“Overturning Roe v. Wade in the United States would be a fundamental attack on the bodily autonomy of women and pregnant people across the world.
“It is incredibly important to remain vigilant when it comes to human rights everywhere.
“In Australia, abortion access remains a postcode lottery. More and more people can’t afford services, funding is minimal, and the systems are disparate and vastly different across the country.
“Universal access requires coordination, funding and viability to ensure continuity.
“We will continue to fight to make that a reality.”
Deputy Medical Director Catriona Melville said access for people living in regional areas was a significant issue and more training was needed for doctors and nurses throughout the country.
“While abortion care has been mostly decriminalised across Australia, it can still be difficult to access a timely and safe abortion without stigma.
“Services for women and pregnant people are disparate, with care often falling to not-for-profit healthcare providers with little to no funding for service provision.
“For years, we have been subsidising the chronic underinvestment in abortion and contraception access.
“Access for people living in regional areas in particular is an issue and I feel for them immensely.
“First Nations’ peoples, trans and gender diverse peoples, members of migrant and refugee communities, people on temporary visas, and people with disabilities can face additional barriers to abortion care that are further impacted by age, economic status, stigma and discrimination.
“Decriminalisation was a great first step but now there does need to be dedicated funding for abortion services throughout the country and doctors and nurses need access to training in order to provide high quality abortion care.”
MSI Australia is a signatory to the SPHERE position statement and the Children by Choice position statement.
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For further information contact Anna Jabour, MSI Australia, 0428 396 391.
Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash
MSI Australia is a national not for profit provider of sexual and reproductive health services including permanent and long-acting reversible contraception and abortion care. For more information on our clinic network visit mariestopes.org.au.