Idaho follows Texas in denying the right to Abortion to Women

18/03/2022

Jayantika Rao Tiruvaloor Viavoori

Women’s Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

The state legislature in Idaho (United States) has passed a replica of the controversial Texas abortion law that went into effect in September 2021. The Idaho bill is aimed to prevent most of the abortions occurring in the state once the governor approves it. 

The Idaho bill prohibits abortions after six weeks which is before many women are even aware they are pregnant (Zernike, 2022). Under the bill, “fathers, grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles of the foetus” are given the right to sue the medical doctors that perform the procedure (Selva, 2022). While the bill maintains that rapists cannot sue the doctors, their family members are allowed. Policy analysts believe that as Gov. Brad Little signed the ‘fetal heartbeat bill last year, he is more than likely to approve the abortion bill in Idaho.  

Despite the constitutional right to abortion (guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, 1973), women around the country that live in states that implement state bans on abortion are being denied their fundamental rights. Denying women their right to abortion would be harmful, especially victims of rape, incest, or even intimate partner violence. The Programs Manager from Legal Voices admitted that bills like the Idaho Bill are about “political control” (Kekatos, 2022). 

While countries like Colombia are taking a positive step in reproductive rights, the United States is taking a significant step backwards.

Sources and Further Reading

Zernike, Kate. (2022, March 14). Idaho Is the First State to Pass Abortion Ban Based on Texas’ Law. New York Times. Retrieved 17 March 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/us/idaho-abortion-bill-texas.html

Selva, Jenn. (2022, March 15). Idaho Legislature Passes Bill Banning abortion after Sex Weeks. CNN. Retrieved 17 March 2022, from https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/14/politics/idaho-abortion-bill-six-weeks/index.html

Kekatos, Mary. (2022, March 15). Idaho Lawmakers pass a 6-week Abortion Ban Styled after Texas Law. ABC News. Retrieved 17 March 2022, from  https://abcnews.go.com/US/idaho-lawmakers-pass-week-abortion-ban-styled-texas/story?id=83455470

Abrams, Abigail. (2022, March 15). What Idaho’s Texas-Style Abortion Ban Means for the Rest of the Country. Time. Retrieved 17 March 2022, from https://time.com/6157455/idaho-abortion-ban-texas-impact/