ABORTION RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

By: Christie Cadiz

In 2013, the country passed the Anti-Discrimination Bill, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, education, and other areas

However, we remain at a crossroads. While same-sex junctures remain not criminalized, there is a lack of laws that protect gay people from discrimination – tolerance of homosexuality is not the same as acceptance. There are still acts of violence committed against members of the LGBT community – and as long as we turn a blind eye to it, the oppression will do nothing more but snowball into perpetuated cycles of discrimination and brutality

As we celebrate LGBT History Month in the Philippines, it is important to remember the struggles and triumphs, both past and present. We must continue to advocate for equal rights and representation for all individuals, especially those who have been cast aside and victimized by unwarranted transgression.

Only by doing so can we create just, peaceful, and prosperous communities for everyone.

By: Ellyanna Nicole Du

Human beings, regardless of gender, sexuality, religion, race, color, economic status, and other classifications they identify as, have human rights Why, then, is it that women are denied their basic rights when they seek out abortion? Why, then, is it that women are denied their basic rights when they are merely making a choice?

It was established at the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly in December of 1948 that it is only through recognizing the equal rights of all members of the human family that peace, justice, and freedom are founded In other words, human rights for all are the foundation of a liberated world living in harmonious equity – an ideal world But to attain such a vision, what counts as basic human rights must first be settled Accounted for in the said assembly is the fact that every human being born is free and equal in dignity and rights to life, liberty, and security Simply put, once given birth to, a human, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion, and social standing is entitled to all the rights established for a human being

And so the question stands: is there any truth to abortion being an act of defying human rights? The short answer would be no However, an elaborate answer starts with the definition and purpose of abortion Abortion, according to an article from Amnesty International, is a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy; one that is considered safer compared to child While a myriad of factors constitutes a woman ’ s decision to pursue the aforementioned procedure, a study conducted by Briggs et al concluded that most, if not all, are connected to the circumstances these women find themselves in, especially concerning their socioeconomic and health status With this information, it is safe to state that the act of denying these women the right to abortion actually defies established human rights when undertaken by a trained professional in proper conditions

Further elaboration on how banning abortion is an act of defying human rights, discusses matters of fatal consequences Prohibiting abortion does not mean women will no longer have any need for it

Rather, preventing women from access to safe abortion procedures will only push them to seek out a termination of pregnancy from a person not trained for it, and most likely will do so in an environment less than ideal to medical standards

In the same article from Amnesty International, it is stated that unsafe procedures of abortions, more often than not, lead to maternal deaths or disabilities that could’ve been preventable if a proper medical procedure had been provided instead To neglect such a situation is to neglect women ’ s marital health, and to neglect marital health is to neglect women ’ s right to security and life

Moreover, criminalizing abortion to prevent women from safe pregnancy termination is a form of discrimination Aside from the denial of providing a human being with what should be considered a basic reproduction service, the stigma that women face from seeking an abortion leaves them at risk of harassment due to the perception that such action is unlawful and unbecoming of a moral human being At this point, it is not merely a matter of protecting women ’ s health, but a matter of protecting all those suffering from unwanted pregnancies and the risk of discrimination and harassment that come with it Be it cisgender women, transgender, gender non-conforming individuals, and all those who have the reproductive capacity to become pregnant are at risk of being denied proper humane treatment merely because of their own choices for their own bodies Not to mention the limitations instituted regarding who can access legal abortion, blatantly disregarding those who don’t fall under the narrow stipulations indicated by law

The stand here is not to say that safe access to abortion is a demand, but rather to prove that safe and inclusive access to abortion is a must Stating how only those who meet certain conditions of the law can gain access to safe pregnancy termination is like saying only those on the brink of death are allowed to consult a doctor Additionally, such a decision shouldn’t even be decided upon by a chosen few who most probably couldn’t even face unwanted pregnancies due to their lack of capacity to become with child At this point, to do so is to establish that once one is pregnant, then they are no longer within their rights to bodily autonomy – a known basic human right Are women then only subject to their rights as human beings when they are not pregnant?

The rights to receive proper healthcare, non-discrimination, liberty, and bodily autonomy are only some of the basic rights of a human being set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Yet these are also the rights that women are being denied by preventing their access to safe and legal abortion Declaring prohibitions against abortion can now only be viewed as a play of power against women, against fellow human beings Let it be known from here on out, that abortion rights are women ’ s rights, and women ’ s rights are human rights