Will future generations look back on these days and wonder what was wrong with us that we did not allow such basic rights to women to terminate an unwanted pregnancy that is growing inside her own body? Somewhat in the way that we look back on practise like apartheid and are appalled that such an exploitative and inhuman system survived for so many years…………

Is it not a modern form of slavery to force a woman to have or continue a pregnancy she does not want? Should a woman’s reproductive function take priority over her own aspirations and desires and capacity to fulfil her own highest potential?

Do people who make these laws imagine that after she gives birth, that child just looks after itself and grows up without needing almost constant attention and care and money to be spent on it for food, education, medicines, transport, schooling, clothes etc?

Do the law makers ever imagine what life is like for a woman who is pregnant when she doesn’t want to raise another child? Do they never wonder why so many women are willing to risk dying rather than give birth to another child?

Some organizations working for human rights are calling it a form of torture to deny women the right to a safe abortion and to force them to suffer the lack of dignity and also put their health and lives in danger to terminate a pregnancy growing inside their body.

We need to trust women and let us decide what to do. And we need governments to ensure that we get the best possible information and services to help them carry out their decision.

In this funny but insightful episode John Oliver points out the flaws in trying to control women’s bodies and why we need to stop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRauXXz6t0Y

It does seem a bit like the Tale of Two Cities. It is the best of times (Medical Abortion Pills, telemedicine, safe self- use) and the worst of times  (increasing attempts to control women’s bodies, more and more absurd laws).

When will we finally cross over to that recognition and ensure that women have the right to safe abortions ?