When a powerful country such as the US makes such regressive decisions, they not only impact women in the US. This was the fundamental concern for many of us in feminist and sexual reproductive spaces. But what does that have to do with us, in South Africa? There is a popular phrase that says, “When the US sneezes, the world catches a cold”. Those who are against safe legal abortion are against the right to health and human rights for all. And as many activists say, criminalising abortion does not stop abortions it just makes them unsafe.

This is especially the case for young women and girls, whose education and overall health can be negatively impacted if they don’t access timely safe abortion services. Safe reproductive health intersects with many social issues, such as poverty and economic empowerment. These are mostly faced by the poor and working-class, who also confront multiple, intersecting forms of oppression in their efforts to access reproductive healthcare. It exacerbates the gaps that already exist in the reproductive justice space. This decision by the US Supreme court places immense strain on pregnant people and their ability to access sexual reproductive healthcare.

How did roe v wade impact society