WGNRR solidarity statement for women and abortion rights activists in Turkmenistan

The Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights stands in solidarity with women and reproductive justice activists in Turkmenistan that are fighting against regressive abortion laws that impose a virtual ban on nearly all abortions.

May 2022 – overnight, with no notice nor public consultation, the Turkmenistan government covertly passed a ruling that virtually bans all abortion care. The ruling restricted safe and legal abortion access from 12 weeks to 5 weeks. Beyond the legal gestational period, pregnant people are forced to continue pregnancies against their will or to bear the risks of delayed care, extortionate costs, or even unsafe methods.

The fact still remains – restrictive abortion laws only open up greater risks on and violations to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and bodily autonomy of women, girls, and gender-diverse people.

This highly-regressive policy stands in line with the Turkmenistan government’s anti-rights agenda that has long violated people’s rights to SRH and bodily autonomy. The same agenda sponsors the proliferation of misinformation and stigma on SRHR.

This policy also stands in line with the ongoing attacks on abortion rights globally, where repressive governments, unjust laws, and intersecting injustices continually attack women’s rights.

We condemn all attacks on women’s rights and SRHR of all people. We join the Turkmenistan people in calling the Turkmenistan government to repeal this restrictive ruling and to abolish all unnecessary policy barriers to safe abortion and discriminatory laws. We call on international agencies and human rights monitoring bodies to take action now and stand for the rights of the Turkmenistan people against state hostilities!

#SafeAbortionNOW #SafeAbortionRegardless #AbortionisEssential