We’ve seen two major decisions affect the reproductive rights of women in the lead up to International Women’s Day.
First, the decision of the Alabama Supreme Court to declare embryos created through IVF as children, and second, France’s move to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution.
They present the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the issue of women’s health, so where does Australia stand?
Chair of the Australian Women’s Health Alliance, Bonney Corbin, told The Briefing what Australia has achieved and what work is still needed.
“In terms of reproductive rights, we see women’s bodies being used as political footballs”, said Corbin.
“We see a very, very personal issue, which is also politicised beyond that individual person and that choice be removed from that person.”
Reproductive health refers to the right to have children, whether that is surrogacy, adoption, care, or kinship care. However, it is often used to talk about maternal healthcare or abortion rights.
While Australia has a universal health system, access to reproductive health varies depending on your location.
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