[Official statement issued from Jackson Area National Organization for Women (NOW)]

The battle for reproductive freedom is a human rights struggle that includes all matters of equality and social justice. Reproductive justice connects the similarities amid sexism, poverty, racism, xenophobia and homophobia in achieving undivided human rights.

As an organization with a strong pro-choice foundation, Jackson Area National Organization for Women (NOW) stands firm on reproductive freedom. The need for safe legal abortion services for the women of Mississippi is critical since they already face tremendous obstacles in obtaining comprehensive sex education, birth control and emergency contraceptives. We are committed to preserving a woman’s right to choose.

Currently, Mississippi has some of the most restrictive laws in place. Lawmakers seem to believe that women and girls are incapable of making important decisions about their bodies and their futures and wish to deny them medically safe access to reproductive services.  The government has no right to dictate what happens to a woman’s body. If abortions were illegal, thousands of women would end up victims of unsafe abortions, resulting in death.   History shows that laws against abortion have little or no effect on the number of abortions.  Outlawing abortion is discriminatory for lower-income women.  Safe, legal abortion services protect women’s health.   

With a 34-5 passage (18 non-voters), SB 2795 will institute universal healthcare for Mississippians in that it guarantees that the state will be financially responsible for the medical care and educational needs of children born to its citizens as of July 1, 2007. The Jackson Area Chapter of the National Organization for Women greatly supports universal health care, yet not in the form of an abortion ban.  Pro-Choice activists are invited to join us Tuesday, February 13, 2007 for NOW Capital Action Day.

With Many Basic Needs Still Unmet,
Mississippi Senate Focuses on Criminalizing Abortion

Bill is Ultimate Illustration of Misplaced Priorities

HATTIESBURG, MS—Planned Parenthood of Alabama, Inc., today denounced extremist Mississippi State Senators who are jeopardizing the health and safety of women with their attempt to criminalize abortion.  With Mississippians continuing to face many unmet needs over a year after Hurricane Katrina, the legislature’s focus on restricting abortion access is the ultimate illustration of misplaced priorities.  

Felicia Brown Williams, Vice President of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Alabama, issued the following statement about the ban: 

“Elected officials should stop playing politics with women’s safety and start paying attention to the needs of this state.  We need homes, good education, and sound health care policy.  We need to focus on rebuilding after Katrina. We don’t need laws that threaten women’s health. 

The ban, Mississippi Senate bill 2795, passed in a vote on the Senate floor today.  If passed in the Mississippi House as well, the ban would go into effect July 1, 2007.  

In his State of the Union address, President Bush stated that health care decisions are best made by patients and their doctors.  We could not agree more.  Private, personal decisions about health care should be made by women, their families, and their doctors - not by politicians.  In 2006, voters sent a clear message: they want politicians to stay out of private, moral medical decisions.   

If lawmakers are truly concerned about preventing unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion in Mississippi they should work with Planned Parenthood on prevention by increasing access to birth control and medically accurate sex education.”

 Planned Parenthood's National Lobby Day

Please join Planned Parenthood for LOBBY DAY, on Tuesday, February 13, 2007.  If you are available on the 13th and would like to participate, please contact Felicia Brown Williams for more details.