NCJW Issues Call to Action to Preserve Abortion Access on Roe Anniversary
January 20, 2010 Washington, DC – On the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) urges a redoubling of efforts to preserve access to abortion for all women. NCJW President Nancy Ratzan released the following statement:
"This week we celebrate the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the historic Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right of women to make decisions about their own reproductive lives consistent with their own religious and ethical beliefs.
"As Justice Blackmun, the author of Roe wrote, 'Roe was a step that had to be taken … toward the full emancipation of women.' Since Roe's codification of this fundamental right, women have secured other rights and taken many strides towards the achievement of full equality and freedom. Yet the rights of women, including the fundamental right to choose abortion, remain under attack. The foes of women’s right are engaged in a relentless campaign to undermine our rights using every tool at their disposal.
"Chief among these now is the effort of anti-choice forces to hold hostage our nation’s desperate need for health care reform by demanding a roll back on women’s access to health care. The 11th hour abortion restrictions adopted by both houses of Congress, while different in some respects, nevertheless seek to stigmatize and diminish, if not eliminate, access to abortion coverage for millions of women who now have such access through insurance policies they pay for with their own money. These women would be added to the millions now denied such access because their coverage or treatment is provided by the federal government.
"We must not allow anti-choice forces to continue rolling back women’s rights, by corrupting health care access legislation or through any other vehicle. Those of us who reflect the majority of Americans who understand the essential value of equality, freedom, and religious liberty, must join forces to ensure that women’s constitutional rights are not abridged by an extreme ideological minority. We must come together as a clear and powerful collective and redouble our efforts, not only to preserve the status quo, but to make change that empowers women so that the US Constitution works for them too."
The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a grassroots organization of volunteers and advocates who turn progressive ideals into action. Inspired by Jewish values, NCJW strives for social justice by improving the quality of life for women, children, and families and by safeguarding individual rights and freedoms.
Contact:
Emily Alfano
202 296 2588 x5; emily@ncjwdc.org