Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to Hold Hearing on Rights Violations of U.S. Abortion Bans

Access to health care has been widely recognized as a human right—a right that is currently being violated throughout the U.S. due to the enactment of abortion bans in more than a dozen U.S. states.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (“the Commission”)—a regional human rights body that monitors human rights in the Americas—will be examining those U.S. human rights violations at a milestone hearing on Wednesday, November 8 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

At the hearing, titled “Healthcare Denied: The Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the United States in the Wake of the Dobbs Decision,” the Center for Reproductive Rights—along with its partners and a plaintiff denied abortion care in a Center case—will provide expert legal testimony and personal stories about the deeply harmful repercussions of abortion bans that have taken effect since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to abortion in 2022.

The hearing is part of the IACHR’s 188th Period of Sessions being held from November 6–10 at the Organization of American States, 1889 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C. The hearings are open to the public and can be watched in person or streamed online.

The Center joined with 13 civil society organizations in requesting the Commission to hold a public hearing to examine the serious violations of human rights taking place in the U.S. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs—which cleared the way for states to ban abortion entirely—14 U.S. states have banned abortion.

“In the past 16 months, millions of people have been cut off from basic health care and denied their rights. This hearing gives us an opportunity to shine the light on the real harm being experienced by people in communities across the country,” said Karla Torres, the Center’s Senior Human Rights Counsel. “The U.S.’s regression on abortion rights has made it a global outlier, and the U.S government must be reminded of its human rights obligations.”

The Commission will hear from Kiersten Hogan, a plaintiff in the Center’s Zurawski v. State of Texas case, who was denied abortion care after her water broke prematurely and she sought care at a hospital; the Center’s Rachana Desai Martin, Chief Government and External Relations Officer, and Astrid Ackerman, Staff Attorney; as well as Center partners.

>> See more hearing details here.

Center to Provide Testimony at Hearing on the Impact of Agrochemicals on Reproductive Health in Latin America 

At another hearing on November 8, at 4:00 p.m. ET, the IACHR will hear from medical and legal experts on the adverse impact of glyphosate and other agrochemicals—which are used widely in Latin America—on the reproductive health of women and children in the region.  

The exposure to such agrochemicals impacts human health—and especially reproductive health—leading to increased rates of fertility disorders, miscarriages, low birth weight, premature birth, congenital malformations, infant mortality and other conditions. The hearing marks the first time the IACHR will address the harms of agrochemicals.  

The Center’s Cristina Rosero, senior legal advisor, will testify at the hearing along with Center partners from Brazil, Argentina and Colombia.  

>> See more hearing details here.

All IACHR hearings are open to the public and will be streamed online here.