Co-Impact’s Statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade Ruling

June 27,  2022.

Bodily autonomy is a fundamental human right. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is devastating. It reinforces the structural barriers and discriminatory gender norms that hold women and girls back.

We know that sexual and reproductive health and rights are essential for gender equality, and for women’s power, agency, and leadership.

This ruling sends a damaging message to the rest of the world about women’s societal status. It is a step back for women’s rights in the U.S. and especially for Black women, women of color, and other marginalized groups, who will bear the brunt of this decision socially, economically, and politically.

We must challenge the root causes of systemic inequality and seek to dismantle existing power structures that limit the human rights and freedoms of women and other marginalized groups.

Co-Impact stands with every woman and ally in the U.S. as they fight this injustice, and with our program partners – who are on the ground across Africa, Asia, and Latin America – carrying out the crucial work to protect the rights of women and girls. Global solidarity is now more critical than ever. We must keep pushing together; changing the systems that shape our societies requires our collective, persistent action.