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In June 2022, through the ruling Dobbs vs. Jackson, the United States Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade conquered by the second wave feminist. In this way, it ended almost half a century of constitutional protection of abortion throughout the country.

The number of clinics that perform abortions in the US falls after the Court’s ruling

Further

Currently, according to the Instituto Guttmacher, an NGO that fights for the right to abortion, The territory is fragmented and polarized in terms of reproductive health. In 15 states (located primarily in the South and Midwest), voluntary termination of pregnancy is “completely prohibited with very limited exceptions.” Another 11 states have restrictive or very restrictive laws.

New York City became a refuge for the right in the midst of the conservative advance. There, health professionals perform abortions up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, without requiring any type of justification. Due to the legal protection – but also health, social and economic – for pregnant people, the Big Apple attracts more and more residents from other states who seek to access this practice.

Economist, doctor and epidemiologist Ashwin Vasan has dedicated himself to the physical and mental well-being of vulnerable populations for two decades. As of March 2022, he serves as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health. In a conversation with elDiarioAR, the official spoke about the public policies of his administration after the repeal of Roe vs. Wade.

“I am a doctor first, I must protect health and life; the ability and capacity of people to make decisions autonomously. The Government would not intervene if it were cardiac care, diabetes, or any other condition, why would it do so on this issue?” he asks.

–Was the decision made by the Supreme Court in 2022 a surprise to you?

–I try to abstain from political issues, but I think we Americans can see the increasingly conservative direction that the Supreme Court has taken over the years. The appointment of judges [a cargo del Poder Ejecutivo con posterior aprobación del Senado] It has been used for political purposes. The position regarding the ruling Roe vs. Wade in particular became a factor in the Republican Party’s targeting of Court nominees. Therefore, I can say that the process has been disappointing, but not that it has been a surprise. What did surprise me was the speed with which the conservatives moved and their coordination, after the first leaks of the Dobbs ruling.

– What measures were taken by New York City to ensure sexual and reproductive rights after this ruling?

– In New York City we are governed by state laws. Here, abortion has been legal since 1970, three years before the enactment of Roe vs. Wade who legalized abortion in the country. Therefore, we have always been at the forefront. Of course, the 2022 ruling had different repercussions throughout the territory and impacted our policies.

– What did this impact consist of?

– Many states have approved total or partial barriers to the termination of pregnancy. From New York City, we not only focus on reinforcing the legality of abortion locally, but we try to protect women across the country and even facilitate their access to the practice. We do it in different ways. First, with the “Abortion Access Hub.” That is, a telephone line and chat that can be contacted from anywhere in the country, seeking care and evaluation here in the city. Additionally, we have relationships with different organizations to help people navigate that process, schedule an appointment, and support them socially and economically, in terms of transportation, food, and accommodation.

– How do you finance this policy?

– There are different funds for this: national, state, local, through the city council. The goal is for low-income women to be able to have an abortion if they need it. An important issue arises here. All women were impacted by the repeal of Roe v. Wade, but those who suffer the most are women of color, who have specific challenges. We want to reduce barriers, maintain confidentiality and protection, understanding that many risk legal repercussions.

– Are there limitations regarding the legal status of pregnant people to receive help from the line?

– All people can go to the line, regardless of whether they are Americans or not; and regardless of whether or not they have any type of coverage. On the one hand, we have multilingual assistants for those who do not speak English. At the same time, we have providers in the city that serve people who are uninsured or need financial assistance. We don’t ask anyone to tell us where they come from; and many people, in fact, don’t want to say it. We launched the platform on November 1, 2022 and have already referred more than 1,500 cases to local providers. We’re just getting started.

– What other measures has the city implemented in addition to the line?

– We also do advertising. We have put up billboards in places like Texas, Georgia, which are some of the states where the most restrictive legislation regarding abortion has passed. Providers tell us that they are seeing more and more women coming from different areas of the country. We also decided to make abortion medication accessible in all our public health clinics. We didn’t offer it before, now we do it for free and we are the first public health department to take this step.

– The New York state legislature approved legal protection for doctors who prescribe and send abortion pills to patients who live in states where this right was restricted. Is it something that is promoted from the city?

– As you can imagine, we have to be very careful, because we know that confidentiality and privacy are essential. But also because we do not want to expose anyone to possible legal consequences in their place of origin. Currently, from the city, we are exploring whether it is something that is appropriate, we are not actively developing it.

– What happens with adolescent girls and reproductive rights? Do you need permission from your parents to consult about abortion?

– In New York City, teenage girls can access information, sexually transmitted disease testing, pills and emergency contraception, abortion care, prenatal care and follow-up without parental consent. Especially if they were victims of trauma or sexual violence.

– How many abortions are performed in the city?

– The latest official numbers are from 2020. That year, almost 38,000 abortions were performed. Almost 8% for people who do not live in the city. 75% of the patients were young, between 20 and 34 years old.

– What is your vision for the future for the United States regarding abortion?

– I am not optimistic, because the current composition of the Supreme Court strongly protects the 2022 turn. That said, I do maintain the hope that, over time, we can elect leaders who protect the right to abortion. If we continue to elect presidents with this perspective, they are going to target the right judges. Let us remember that it is not just the highest court, but the federal courts, the appeals courts, and the judicial system as a whole. It is important that we think about Justice when voting. We must also consider elections at the local level. Who are our local officials and what are they voting for? Are we voting for people who understand and protect women’s sexual and reproductive rights, including abortion?

– Why is it important to protect people’s decisions about their own body?

– From a public health standpoint, we know that safe abortion saves lives. And all polls show that the majority of the country supports this human right. There is a broad consensus, but there is a vocal, well-funded and politically powerful minority that is pushing back and it is very problematic. As a country, we have been pioneers for a long time on this issue. Therefore, we must continue fighting for public health; and, with luck, we will be able to achieve the goal of restoring custody of these rights that we have held for so many years.

This interview was made possible thanks to the support of the Transatlantic Media Fellowship of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

JB/MG

2023-09-28 08:55:11
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