JWI Responds to Supreme Court Decision in Whole Woman’s Health
Today’s ruling is a victory for reproductive justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Meredith Jacobs, VP Communications
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Washington, D.C. – JWI (Jewish Women International) applauds the Supreme Court’s decision in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt.
Today, the Court struck down Texas’s harmful HB2 law that targets abortion procedures for onerous and unnecessary regulation, allowing Whole Woman’s Health and all Texas clinics to keep their doors open. This vital ruling affirms a woman’s constitutional right to make her own choices about her body and her reproductive health.
JWI CEO Lori Weinstein issued the following statement:
Access to comprehensive reproductive health care allows a woman to plan her family, build her economic security, and pursue her goals. With this decision, the Supreme Court has acted decisively to stop an extreme and unconstitutional law that has harmed countless Texas women.
The Court affirmed what women and advocates have long known: That sham laws like HB2 are “a substantial obstacle” for women seeking abortion, and that this type of “undue burden on abortion access” is absolutely unconstitutional.
As the amicus briefs submitted in the case clearly showed, women seek abortion for a variety of reasons, and access to safe, legal abortion care is vital for women’s health, economic security, family stability, and freedom from violence. The constitutional right of a woman to control her body is one of our most precious freedoms, and JWI is heartened by the Court’s affirmation that every woman has the right to make her private health decisions without interference or intrusion.
Even as we celebrate this incredible victory, we know that there is still much work to be done for women and families. Continuing our legacy of reproductive rights advocacy, JWI will work to ensure that every woman can access the care she needs to build a healthy and secure future.
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Jewish Women International is the leading Jewish organization working to end violence against women and girls domestically and internationally. JWI is a principal leader of the Coalition to End Violence Against Women and Girls Globally and a Steering Committee member of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women. JWI’s advocacy efforts focus on the passage of legislation that supports women and girls, ensures their economic security and their ability to live life free of violence. For more information, please visit www.jwi.org or call us at 800-323-2823.