Reproductive rights

Posters with a message that read in Spanish "Free abortion."

Founding fatherhood: Part II

Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive this week into the decriminalization of abortion in Colombia, in the context of the country's legacy of war.

Founding fatherhood: Part II
Pregnant women hold their medical cards and wait for their turn to be examined at a government hospital on World Population Day in Hyderabad, India, Friday, July 11, 2014. 

As India becomes the world's most populous nation, engaging men in family planning ‘will be a game changer'

As India becomes the world's most populous nation, engaging men in family planning ‘will be a game changer'
woman near a machine

‘They’re hurting themselves’: In Lebanon, women risk their lives to get an abortion illegally 

‘They’re hurting themselves’: In Lebanon, women risk their lives to get an abortion illegally 
Anti-abortion demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court on the day the court overturned the landmark Roe v Wade abortion laws.

Opinion: Roe v. Wade overturned: Will more Americans travel to Canada and Mexico for abortions?

Opinion: Roe v. Wade overturned: Will more Americans travel to Canada and Mexico for abortions?
Anesthesiologist Liu Jianmin prepares for an abortion at a clinic run by Marie Stopes International in Xi'an in central China's Shaanxi province

Abortion access in China has changed drastically amid declining birth rate

Abortion access in China has changed drastically amid declining birth rate
A group of women's rights activists with a sign reading "Abortion Without Borders" protesting Poland's strict anti-abortion law, outside the top constitutional court, in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022.

Poland’s ‘pregnancy registry’ will further restrict abortion access, activists say

The Polish government says it is establishing a national medical database, following a directive from the EU Commission, promising to ensure the protection of people's privacy. But in a country with a near-total abortion ban, rights activists are not so convinced.

Poland’s ‘pregnancy registry’ will further restrict abortion access, activists say
a woman enters the Supreme Court in London

Northern Ireland decriminalized abortion 3 years ago. But services are still difficult to access.

Despite the decriminalization of abortion in Northern Ireland several years ago after presiding over some of the harshest legislation in the world, access is far from straightforward. And campaigners on both sides of the issue are rallying after last month’s US Supreme Court leak that's suggested the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Northern Ireland decriminalized abortion 3 years ago. But services are still difficult to access.
children in front of a mural

Kenya’s abortion debate

In Kenya, a recent court case there has revived the abortion debate. Conflicting legislation has stirred confusion about what is and is not illegal. The World’s Halima Gikandi brings us more from Nairobi.

Kenya’s abortion debate
protest with signs

Roe v. Wade highlights the important role of high courts in democratic societies

The potential reversal of Roe v. Wade should serve as a stark warning to the power the high courts hold to transform societal conditions.

Roe v. Wade highlights the important role of high courts in democratic societies
a woman near a banner

Mexico's abortion laws have become more accessible

Mexico has slowly made reproductive health services more accessible over the last 20 years.

Mexico's abortion laws have become more accessible
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the media during a joint press statement as part of a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, May 2, 2022. 

Democracy, interrupted: Part II

Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, takes a deep dive this week into how misogynist beliefs within political leadership can build an authoritarian coalition within a democracy.

Democracy, interrupted: Part II
In this photo taken Wednesday, April 13, 2011, a graffiti against revealing the gender of unborn fetuses stands outside a clinic in Morena in the Central Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. 

India's abortion law still lacks a rights-based approach, gynecologist says

India's abortion law is progressive, but it is also problematic, says Dr. Suchitra Dalvie, a practicing gynecologist in Mumbai, India. The co-founder and coordinator of the Asia Safe Abortion Partnership unpacked the law and recent amendments to it with The World's reporter Chhavi Sachdev.

India's abortion law still lacks a rights-based approach, gynecologist says
VOX party leader Santiago Abascal applauds supporters before making a speech during a rally by the extreme right wing party VOX in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, March 19, 2022. 

Democracy, interrupted: Part I

This week in Critical State, a foreign policy newsletter by Inkstick Media, writer Kelsey D. Atherton takes a deep dive into how the reactionary populist party Vox came to power in Andalucia riding a wave of misogyny — in the name of equality.

Democracy, interrupted: Part I
Protesters gather outside Poland's Constitutional Tribunal in Warsaw, Poland, on Nov.6, 2021, to protest against the restrictive abortion laws after a woman died of complications during her pregnancy. 

This Polish activist sent abortion pills to a woman in need. Now she's on trial.

An abortion-rights activist charged with breaking Poland’s strict abortion laws goes on trial in Warsaw next week. The case is the first of its kind in Europe.

This Polish activist sent abortion pills to a woman in need. Now she's on trial.
UK environmental activist Ella Daish, who crafted a giant tampon out of used tampons, is on a mission to get rid of single-use, plastic tampons.

This UK activist is pushing to end single-use plastics in menstrual products

This past week, UK environmental activist Ella Daish traveled to Switzerland and marched a giant tampon — which is a striped, blue and green tampon sculpture that stands more than 6 feet tall — to Procter & Gamble’s European headquarters in Geneva. She said she wanted to “return” the plastic applicators to the company.

This UK activist is pushing to end single-use plastics in menstrual products