JSI and World Education: Our Commitment to Reproductive Rights

The Dobbs v. Jackson decision is a cataclysmic and devastating blow, depriving millions of Americans of their right to privacy, self-determination, and control over their own bodies. Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land for almost my entire life—so for me, like many of you, this is uncharted and terrifying territory.

There are no winners as a result of this decision. Access to family planning services, including termination of pregnancy, has always been intertwined with social determinants of health, equity, and reproductive justice. Women, trans, and non-binary individuals have never had equal access to this essential reproductive health service, and disparities persist along racial, ethnic, and socio-economic lines. Bans on abortion harm Black and brown communities the most; women of color in the United States have higher rates of morbidity and maternal mortality, more dangerous pregnancies, and lower rates of insurance coverage than their white counterparts. The Supreme Court decision will only exacerbate these inequities, compounding cycles of poverty, poor health outcomes, and preventable death.

Inequitable access to any health service goes directly to the core of JSI’s mission. JSI has been committed to improving access to sexual and reproductive health since our first family planning project in 1978. We will help our clinical partners navigate the practical consequences of this decision, not only on access to care for the clients they serve, but its impact on community health centers and hospital systems, the provider-patient relationship, and medical education. Abortion is essential health care and we will continue to collaborate with and support organizations that provide access to it.

JSI and our affiliate World Education have committed to a travel benefit for staff members who need to leave their state to access surgical or medication-assisted abortion services. Furthermore, in consultation with our insurance providers, we are identifying and removing other obstacles to employees who need reproductive care.

Mission-driven organizations like World Education and JSI must increase vigilance. This is our work.

In solidarity,

Margaret Crotty

JSI and World Education CEO