Repealing the Helms Amendment: A Path to Expanding Abortion Access Globally

Strategic Insights -

Congresswoman Barbara Lee and a group of lawmakers introduced the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2020, aiming to repeal the Helms Amendment and expand abortion access globally. The amendment bars U.S. foreign assistance funding for abortion and has been passed annually since 1973. The lawmakers argue that this policy is rooted in racism and disproportionately affects women of color in developing countries, who face barriers to accessing safe and legal abortions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2020 seeks to repeal the Helms Amendment, which bars U.S. foreign assistance funding for abortion and has been passed annually since 1973.
  • The amendment has been criticized as racist and discriminatory, particularly in its impact on women of color in developing countries.
  • The lawmakers argue that repealing the Helms Amendment is necessary to promote reproductive justice and healthcare equity globally.
  • The legislation aims to ensure that women everywhere, particularly those from marginalized communities, have access to safe, legal, and comprehensive reproductive health services.
  • The bill is part of a broader effort to challenge systemic and racist policies, such as the Hyde Amendment, which restricts access to abortion and reproductive services for women in the United States.
  • The lawmakers emphasize that comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including safe, legal, and accessible abortion, is a fundamental human right.

Statistics:

  • The Helms Amendment has been passed annually since 1973, despite criticism that it is rooted in racism and discriminatory.
  • Every year, millions of women worldwide have unsafe abortions, leading to debilitating injuries and at least 22,800 preventable maternal deaths.
  • The U.S. foreign assistance restrictions imposed by the Helms Amendment affect millions of women, particularly those in developing countries, who are disproportionately harmed by lack of access to safe and legal abortion.
  • The number of rare and unintended pregnancies in women of reproductive age is lower in countries where restrictive abortion laws are lifted.
  • The U.S. continues to be one of the few countries with no explicit policy on providing abortion services in health crises, despite its commitment to healthcare access in emergencies.
  • Unsafe abortion practices lead to 25 million unsafe abortions worldwide, resulting in millions of injuries and at least 22,800 preventable maternal deaths annually.

Sources:

  • "Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Reps. Schakowsky and other House Democrats introduce the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act of 2020, hoping to repeal the Helms Amendment for the first time in decades." - Contify.com
  • "Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus chairs are attacking the Helms Amendment, which bars the U.S. from paying for abortion services abroad." - The New York Times
  • "Abortion is a human right and a healthcare issue, and we need to prioritize that in our policies." - Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Chair of the Abortion Rights and Access Taskforce of the Pro-Choice Caucus.