US Abortion International Impact WEB
Metadata
- US Abortion International Impact WEB
- May 19, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script FOR USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US Abortion International Impact TV)) HEADLINE: An Abortion Rights Rollback in U.S. Could Ripple ‘Round the Globe TEASER: From Mexico to Europe to South Africa, activists watch as the United States edges toward a new anti-abortion era. PUBLISHED AT: Thursday, 05/19/2022 12:51 pm BYLINE: Veronica Balderas Iglesias CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Washington VIDEOGRAPHER/VIDEO EDITOR: Veronica Balderas Iglesias PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: TD, BR VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, Reuters, AP, Skype, Other (see courtesies) PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 4:17 VID APPROVED BY: BR, TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: UPDATE: Radio Tracks for Reversioning Included ((TV INTRO)) [[The right of American women to have an abortion will be severely restricted if the Supreme Court reverses its 1973 decision to legalize the procedure. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias spoke to activists on three continents and found grave concern about what a U.S. ruling overturning Roe v. Wade could have around the world.]] ((WEB LEAD)) [[The right of American women to have an abortion will be severely restricted if the Supreme Court reverses its 1973 decision to legalize the procedure. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias spoke to activists on three continents and found grave concern about what a U.S. ruling overturning Roe v. Wade could have around the world.]] ((NATS)) ((NARRATOR) It started before they were born, but now young people in the U.S. are joining the abortion rights debate – full throttle. This group walked out of school to demand that abortion remains a privacy right under the U.S. Constitution. ((Harper Shattuck, Pro-choice Walkout Organizer)) “This is not only going to affect the women who are getting pregnant now. It’s going to affect the women getting pregnant in the future, and it’s going to affect all future generations if this is overturned.” ((NARRATOR)) Also among the young are those who condemn abortion. They’re energized after a draft Supreme Court opinion leaked to the public, indicating that the landmark 1973 ruling making abortion legal is in jeopardy. If that’s the final ruling, the 50 states would decide what’s allowed. And many want to ban or severely restrict abortion. ((Anna Lulis, Students for Life of America)) “Hopefully, the Supreme Court makes the right decision and we’re able to send the issue of abortion back to the states and really start hitting the issue of abortion in our local communities.” ((NARRATION)) Could other countries follow? The world is watching closely. [[RADIO INTRO: Tarah Demant is with Amnesty International USA]] ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) ((Tarah Demant, Amnesty International USA)) “When the United States takes such a bold and obvious anti-rights movement, other countries find cover in that, they use that as cover for the anti-rights work that they do, specifically but not exclusively around reproductive rights and the right to abortion.” ((INSERT VOA GRAPHIC: The World’s Abortion Laws -source: Center for Reproductive Rights )) ((NARRATOR)) Globally, 970 million women live in countries that broadly allow abortion, according to the U.S.-based Center for Reproductive Rights. ((Mandatory cg: Reuters)) Still, two in five women of childbearing age who want or need an abortion face restrictions. ((Mandatory cg: Reuters)) Mexico’s high court ruled last year to de-criminalize abortion. ((INSERT VOA LOCATION GRAPHIC-Mexico City)) But only eight of Mexico’s 32 states have taken steps to legalize it. ((VIDEO: Anti-Abortion demonstration in Mexico)) ((Mandatory cg: Reuters)) ((NAT SOUND – PROTEST)) What is happening in the U.S. is a warning sign, say Mexican backers of abortion rights. [[RADIO INTRO: Adriana Patlan is the Director of the Network for sexual and reproductive rights in Mexico]] ((Adriana Patlan, DDESER-Mexico (female in Spanish)) “What the U.S. is teaching us is that our rights are always at risk, given that political environments could change. Anti-rights groups are always trying to come up with strategies to block access to women’s rights.” ((Nos esta enseñando lo que pasa en Estados Unidos es que nuestros derechos siempre están en riesgo/pues los panoramas políticos pueden cambiar. Los grupos anti derechos están siempre tratando de inventar estas estrategias que impidan el acceso de los derechos de las mujeres.)) ((NARRATOR)) ((INSERT VOA LOCATION GRAPHIC-Geneva, Switzerland)) In Geneva, Switzerland, reproductive rights advocates aren’t too worried about repercussions in Europe, ((Mandatory cg: Amnesty International)) where abortion is broadly permitted. [[RADIO INTRO: Leah Hoctor, Senior Director for Europe at the Center for Reproductive Rights explains]] ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) ((Leah Hoctor, Center for Reproductive Rights-Europe)) “Poland, Malta, Liechestein, Andorra and Monaco are the five countries in Europe that still retain what we call highly restrictive abortion laws./My view is that the trend will remain overwhelmingly positive in terms of/moving to recognition of abortion as essential healthcare.” ((INSERT VOA LOCATION GRAPHIC-Johannesburg, South Africa)) In Africa, only a few countries allow abortion upon request. One is South Africa which legalized abortion in 1996. ((Mandatory cg: AP)) But opposition to reproductive rights could grow there with a U.S. reversal. [[RADIO INTRO: Whitney Chinogwenya is with MSI Reproductive Choices]] ((Mandatory cg: Skype)) ((Whitney Chinogwenya /MSI Reproductive Choices-South Africa)) “In some of our facilities, there are people outside protesting, trying to prohibit the women from going into the facilities. /The more it’s reversed in other countries/ then the same will apply in South Africa because people just get bolder.” ((Mandatory cg: AP)) ((NARRATOR)) The World Health Organization says restricting abortion doesn’t stop it, and that 23,000 women die each year from complications after unsafe abortions. ((Photo: Provided by interviewee)) ((Mandatory cg: C-Fam)) Anti-abortion groups we interviewed dispute that argument. ((Mandatory cg: C-Fam)) They want the U.S. to roll back a 49-year-old right they see as immoral. [[RADIO INTRO: Austin Ruse is the President of the Center for Family and Human Rights]] ((Austin Ruse, C-Fam)) “Most people don’t understand how truly radical American abortions are./We would hope this would have an impact around the world, because when governments do tend to change their laws, they often cite American law.” [[RADIO INTRO: Brian Clowes is the Director of Research and Education at Human Life International]] ((Brian Clowes/Human Life International)) “The way to compromise here is to help women get through their pregnancies by providing them with housing, with medical care that they need, with formula, clothing and all of that.” ((NARRATOR)) When the Supreme Court might issue its abortion ruling is uncertain. But when it does, the shock waves could surge far beyond U.S. shores. ((Veronica Balderas Iglesias, for VOA News, Washington))
- NewsML Media Topics Politics, Health
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date May 19, 2022 13:12 EDT
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English