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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Loretta Ross, SisterSong, P.O. Box 311020, Atlanta, GA 31131, 404-344-9629, loretta@sistersong.net

By integrating the disciplines of community organizing, self-help and human rights education, the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective is building a national movement for reproductive justice. It employs a novel approach that embeds reproductive rights in a human rights and social justice framework. Reproductive justice work goes far beyond the demand to eliminate racial disparities in reproductive health services, and beyond the privacy rights claims for preserving legal abortion by the pro-choice movement as dictated and limited by the Supreme Court. It addresses the isolation of abortion advocacy from other social justice issues relevant to the lives of every woman and in doing this, it reconnects women's health and bodies with the rest of their lives. Its human rights foundation poses a strong moral and political countervailing vision to the hypocritical “culture of life” framing promoted by those opposed to women's rights. Instead of focusing on the means – a divisive debate on abortion – the reproductive justice analysis focuses on the ends: better lives for women, healthier families, and sustainable communities. SisterSong, a national coalition in the United States of women of color organizations and individuals, represents Native American/Indigenous, Black/African American/Caribbean, Latina, Middle Eastern/North African and Asian/Pacific Islander, women, and White and male allies. It creates opportunities for women of color to work collectively, strengthens women of color organizations by providing information and analysis on reproductive health and organizational development issues, and strives for accessible health services and resources that are culturally and linguistically appropriate.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to

• Describe the relationship between human rights and reproductive justice.
• Articulate the strengths of the reproductive justice model for addressing women’s reproductive oppression.
• Discuss the work that women of color are doing in the United States to achieve better lives for women, healthier families, and sustainable communities.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation