What is reproductive justice and why is it needed?

RRAC was founded to nurture Community Organising for Reproductive Justice in England and Wales. But what do these terms mean, and why do they work so well together? In this article, we will explore Reproductive Justice.

The theoretical framework of Reproductive Justice was developed by black feminists in 1990s suburban Chicago in response to a growing sense that the women's rights movement, reflecting its middle-class/wealthy white leadership, did not sufficiently advocate for the needs of women of colour and other marginalized women. Their organisation became known as SisterSong and is still active today.

Reproductive Justice calls attention to the:

• intersecting forms of oppression and

• systemic inequalities 

that impact access to reproductive healthcare, and influence reproductive decision-making. 

SisterSong sought to move from a law-focused approach to one that pursued social justice, and thus stretched far beyond abortion, while encompassing it. 

 Reproductive Justice means four things:

1. The right to have a child.

2. The right not to have a child.

3. The right to raise a child in a safe and healthy environment. 

4. The right to maintain personal bodily autonomy (this was contributed by SisterSong’s LGBTQ+ caucus in 2004).

Without these, we do not have full reproductive freedom. 

Reproductive justice asks:

1: Is everyone who wants to have a child able to have one? 

For example, is access to assistive technologies like IVF fair and equitable? Is maternal healthcare good and even across marginalized groups? 

2: Are those that may become pregnant able to control their fertility?

For example, is sex education comprehensive and preparatory? Have we eliminated reproductive coercion? Is contraception affordable?

3: Are those with children or wanting children able to raise them safely?

In the UK in 2024, UNICEF estimated that 31% of children were living in poverty (about 4.5 million children) - in this context, is whether or not to have a child really a free choice? Can a free choice be made in the context of unclean air on local high streets, racially motivated hate crimes, or a housing crisis?

4: Do all people have autonomy over their bodies (and therefore lives)?

For example, has forced pregnancy been eliminated? Is reproductive healthcare available in custodial settings, or to asylum seekers? Are disabled people free from coerced sterilisation? 

At RRAC, we address these issues at the local level via Community Organising. Stay tuned for our next post on what this means to us. And make sure you're following us on instagram while you're at it!