The Fight for Reproductive Freedom: A Global Struggle

By Amy-Louise Geary

Around the world the battle for reproductive rights has intensified, shaping not just political debate, but also the very notion of bodily autonomy. At the heart of this conflict is the question of whether people should have the right to control their own bodies. From the availability of birth control to the legality of abortion, reproductive freedom has become a battleground in many countries, with significant consequences for bodily autonomy and gender equality. As these rights continue to be contested, it is often young people who find themselves on the front lines of the struggle for reproductive freedom. 

Reproductive freedom is a concept deeply tied to a person’s ability to make informed decisions about their health, family, and future. Yet, depending on where you live, that freedom can look drastically different. In countries like the United States, abortion rights have taken a dramatic turn. The overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court in 2022 has left states to decide the fate of abortion access. In many conservative-led states, restrictive laws have been put in place, some even banning abortion outright, with no exceptions for cases involving matters such as rape or incest. This decision has sparked massive protests, with advocates asserting that the government should not have the power to dictate decisions over a person’s body. 

Meanwhile, in Poland, the right to abortion has been severely limited. In 2020, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled almost all abortions unconstitutional, leading to widespread unrest. Women in Poland have marched in the streets, arguing that such laws strip them of their fundamental freedoms, forcing them into unsafe underground procedures, or even to seek medical care abroad. Poland is now one of the strictest countries in Europe when it comes to abortion, alongside Malta, where abortion is entirely banned. 

In contrast, Ireland has moved towards expanding reproductive rights. Once a nation with one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe, Ireland overturned its near-total ban in a historic referendum in 2018, a move largely attributed to the tireless work of young activists. Beyond abortion, access to birth control remains a key aspect of the fight for reproductive freedom. In many parts of the world, birth control is difficult to obtain, especially for young people, those in rural areas, or in conservative societies where reproductive health is often taboo. 

In the Philippines, where religion heavily influences public policy, contraception has now become more accessible after years of resistance. The country’s Reproductive Health Law, passed in 2012 after a 14-year battle, now guarantees universal access to contraception, but its implementation remains inconsistent and conservative groups still push for rollbacks. 

In the U.S., debates over birth control are heating up as well. Some states have moved to restrict access to emergency contraception, which many mistakenly label as an abortifacient. Contraceptive deserts – areas where people live with little to no access to affordable family planning services – continue to limit reproductive freedom for countless individuals, particularly in underserved communities. 

At its core, the fight for reproductive freedom is a struggle for autonomy. Whether in countries expanding these rights or those moving to restrict them, the issue remains fundamentally about control – who has it, who should have it, and how it shapes our futures. For many, reproductive freedom is inseparable from the broader struggle for gender equality, as denying bodily autonomy perpetuates systems of inequality and oppression. The fight for reproductive freedom is far from over, but with activists at the helm, the hope for a more just and equitable future remains strong. The question now is whether global society will embrace the freedom to choose – or whether those freedoms will continue to be constrained.