Preserving reproductive choice: Countering misleading narrative in the abortion debate

On International Safe Abortion Day, Debanjana Choudhuri, Director-Programmes and Partnerships, Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India and Dr Alka Baruah, Abortion Theme Lead, Common Health emphasises that women and girls should be at the centre of the rights discourse and efforts should be undertaken to amplify their voices in a fight for her reproductive rights

Across countries, reproductive rights and choices have consistently reflected the conflict between liberal and conservative values, faced judgements on sexual morality and invited government intervention. This conflict came into sharp focus on June 24^th 2022, when the Supreme court of the United States of America overturned a previous ruling on Roe v. Wade, asserting that abortion lacks a foundation in the nation’s historical and traditional values. The decision was predicted to have global reverberations and invigorate the anti-choice movement, and indeed it did. India was no exception.

In India, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act of 1971 has legalised abortion under certain circumstances, marking a significant step forward for women’s reproductive rights. On August 10^th 2022, inspired by global developments Catholic religious organisations in the country orchestrated the ‘March of Life,’ vehemently opposing abortion. Symbolically, the day of 51st anniversary of the MTP Act was termed as a ‘Day of Mourning’ to commemorate the countless foetuses terminated under its provisions. Participants aspired to trigger a wider social engagement against abortion, ultimately culminating in the repeal of the MTP Act. Indian Supreme Court’s seminal ruling in September 2022 that talked about marital rape, reinforced women’s decision making autonomy in reproductive choices, underscored the importance of interpreting the MTP and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Acts coherently and asserted that unmarried women engaged in consensual relationships should have access to safe and legal abortion services further aggravated those opposed to abortion prompting more marches, online activism and litigation.

The opposition narrative encompasses religion, morality, ethics, medicine, eugenics, law, demographics and politics. Arguments underscore how abortion and its legal sanction contradict religious sanctity of life; disrupts nature with positive eugenics; challenges individual rights and clashes with societal norms by eroding traditional values and family structure. Additionally, the narrative presents contentions about potential for demographic shifts and individual health and well being although all these arguments lack empirical substantiation.

To further its cause, the movement employs an array of strategies that tap into public sentiment, legal frameworks and power of media. Public rallies to draw attention; workshops to shape public perspectives; legal manoeuvring to assert their stance and infiltration of health system to influence service delivery; leveraging media to propagate views are some to name. It also tries to navigate existing discourses by merging its narrative with and co-opting elements from other movements such as the anti-sex selection and disability rights movements while strategically creating doubts about the existing MTP Act, employing emotional appeals and information manipulation to amplify their messages, sway opinions and garner support.

The accountability for ensuring access to safe abortion, especially medical abortion therefore lies with multiple stakeholders. While the primary responsibility of formulating, implementing and monitoring all policies and regulations rests with the Government of India – the health system’s role is to comply with guidelines and protocols to ensure safe services and law enforcement machinery’s role is to ensure that the legal stipulations are upheld and access is not compromised; the non-government and Civil Society Organisations also have a critical role to play. They not only have to ensure that the community is aware about legal entitlements and services but also that various stakeholders are accountable for their mandate.

Countering misleading narratives requires a commitment to comprehensive education that presents accurate information about reproductive health, abortion procedures, and the complex factors that influence reproductive decisions. Education empowers individuals to make well-informed choices and encourages open-mindedness, reducing the influence of misleading narratives.

A powerful approach to countering this is looking at framing of reproductive choice as a fundamental human right. This perspective places the emphasis on individual autonomy, dignity, and the broader principles of human rights. By advocating for reproductive choice as an integral part of human rights, the conversation shifts from divisive arguments to a more inclusive and globally recognised framework. A recurring theme in the abortion debate is the tendency to disregard women’s agency in decision-making. This narrative often portrays women as passive victims influenced solely by external pressures. In reality, women are capable of making informed and autonomous choices about their bodies and futures. Empowering women to voice their experiences and perspectives is essential for an honest and respectful discourse. Women and girls should be at the centre of the rights discourse and efforts should be undertaken to amplify their voices in a fight for her reproductive rights.