Did the US Supreme Court decision embolden anti-abortion movements in the Caribbean to press for stricter abortion laws in their own countries?

In 2022, when Roe v. Wade was overturned in the US, many sexual and reproductive health professionals, advocates, and citizens alike were certain that this decision was the beginning of the end for any hopes the Caribbean had at freeing ourselves of the colonial-era British laws that restricted or outright banned abortion in most of the region.

Fortunately, there has not been any indication that the anti-abortion movement has been emboldened. I’m only aware of a few religious leaders making public statements in support of the US’s decision. It appears that since the overturn of Roe v Wade, the abortion movement in the region has been revitalized. However, we recognize that we cannot remain complacent, as there has been a rise in the anti-abortion rhetoric and policies. In some Latin American countries, for example, Peru approved the “fetal personhood” bill, and in Honduras lawmakers increased the number of votes needed to repeal its abortion ban.

Did Caribbean nations with more progressive abortion policies face increased pressure to adopt stricter laws due to the US shift?

Interestingly, Caribbean countries with stricter abortion laws are being challenged. Advocates for Safe Parenthood: Improving Reproductive Equity (ASPIRE) has been, and still is leading a series of research in several Caribbean countries to make an evidence-based case for decriminalizing abortion in the region. In June, a historic constitutional challenge to the colonial-era abortion laws in Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica were filed in those jurisdictions. Two women and two health care providers in those countries have bravely stepped forward to ask the courts to consider the constitutionality of those laws and their impact on women and health care providers. The first hearing is scheduled in the court in Antigua on September 17, 2024.

Did US restrictions on abortion funding for international organizations impact access to safe abortion services in the Caribbean?

Like many other developing countries that rely on the US for funding, whether it is directly or indirectly through international non-governmental organizations, the Global Gag Rule (GGR) has had a far-reaching negative impact on abortion, other sexual and reproductive health services, including maternal and child health. A 2019 study showed GGR is associated with a threefold increase in the odds of women getting an abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean, the highest in the regions reviewed. 
 

Did the US abortion policy shift contribute to increased stigma and discrimination against women seeking abortions in the Caribbean? 

Despite the high prevalence of abortion in the Caribbean region, as our recent research is revealing, abortion is highly stigmatized because it is viewed largely from a moral lens. However, based on the work we are doing in the region, we have not collected any data to determine if any of the stigma and discrimination against women seeking abortions in the Caribbean can be attributed to the US abortion shift.  However, it is likely that the US decision has played some role.

Abortion is among the safest medical procedures and should be a decision between a woman and her doctor. If we are to be successful in having more progressive abortion laws, or outright decriminalization, women and girls must be supported to tell their stories about their experiences. They must know that they are not alone in their experience, and that they have a right to protect their health and their life – there is nothing shameful about that.