While India is moving forward, the U.S. is heading back in reproductive rights

To support student journalism and the content you love, become a member of The Daily Orange today.

On Oct. 6th, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that women can get an abortion up to 24 weeks into their pregancy, regardless of their marital status. This ruling is an expansion on previous Indian reproductive laws that limited access to abortion to single women up to 20 weeks and 24 weeks for married women.

This is a monumental step for India as the Indian Parliament and Supreme Court changed the way reproductive rights are seen in the country. In this landmark judgment, Indian women were able to advocate for themselves and get bodily autonomy.

Abortion has been legal in India since 1971 but had limitations that only applied to married women with critical medical conditions. It was than amended in 2021 under the Medical termination of Pregnancy Act of 1971 to include women who were divorced or widowed, minors, rape victims or mentally ill women to recieve abortions up to 24 weeks. Only a year later, the highest court decided that women deserve “reproductive autonomy” over their own bodies.

While India is taking a step forward in history, the United States is regressing. In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling that “recognized that the decision whether to continue or end a pregnancy belongs to the individual.” Through India’s verdict, we are shown that deciding on such heavy and controversial topics is possible.

During the protests to uphold Roe, young Americans filled the streets and spoke out against this injustice but were left unheard and ignored. But in India, it was a 25-year-old woman who brought the trial to court and succeeded, though she knew the potential repercussions of an unmarried woman revealing her pregnancy to the public.

Syracuse University students need to recognize other countries’ stances and initiatives on women’s rights so we are able to critically understand how the U.S. is lacking in providing basic human rights. In under a year, our courts erased 50 years of precedent with little consideration or discussion for the repercussions it would have on citizens.

SU needs to recognize that we are global citizens. What happens in India regarding reproductive rights matters to us. Upon examining the movement in India, we can critically call on our government and Supreme Courts to uphold and expand reproductive rights that a majority of Americans support.

In the post-Roe v Wade era, it’s critical that SU students are aware of the resources that are offered. Now more than ever, students need to hold SU administrators accountable for ways that they are going to provide for students out-of-state. Moving forward, SU needs to understand the critical help that universities provide for students.

With India’s landmark judgment, we are reminded again that the U.S. is taking a step back in history and will have negative repercussions. Regardless of which way history is swaying, it’s imperative that hope is not lost when fighting for reproductive rights.

The Daily Orange Editorial Board serves as the voice of the organization and aims to contribute the perspectives of students to discussions that concern Syracuse University and the greater Syracuse community. The editorial board’s stances are determined by a majority of its members. You can read more about the editorial board here. Are you interested in pitching a topic for the editorial board to discuss? Email [email protected].