President Biden to Fund International Abortion Industry

In an Executive Order, President Biden began fulfilling the pro-abortion Blueprint for his administration beginning with elimination of President Trump’s Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (an expansion of the Mexico City Policy.) Reversal of this policy means that the US, as the world’s largest health donor country with total global health funding for last year of $11.2 billion, can and will, now distribute funds to foreign NGOs working in population control and health that perform and promote abortion— most often in developing countries.

 

Sadly, Biden confirmed his deep pro-abortion position calling President Trump’s actions to provide life-affirming healthcare as “damaging”. Speaking from the Oval Office, he said his actions will “reverse my predecessor’s attack on women’s health access” and “undo the damage that Trump has done.”

 

Under Biden, the U.S. will now use taxpayer dollars to fund abortion industry giants International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Marie Stopes International (MSI). Last year IPPF stated that under President Trump’s pro-life policy it lost $100,000,000 in U.S. funding. MSI is seeking donations claiming that it “faces a funding shortfall of $13.5 million”.

 

According to President Biden abortion is part of “healthcare” and he directed that all agencies in the US government advance abortion as “healthcare” through foreign assistance.

 

His memorandum states, “The Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Administrator of USAID, and appropriate officials at all other agencies involved in foreign assistance shall take all steps necessary to implement this memorandum…”

 

Biden claims he seeks “to ensure that adequate funds are being directed to support women’s health needs globally, including sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights”—terms that include abortion—a word that he appears reluctant to say.

 

Rep. Chris Smith, chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus commented that President Trump’s Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance was critical to “ensuring U.S. taxpayers were not complicit in promoting abortions abroad, especially in countries with pro-life laws.”

 

He said, “Many countries throughout the world have been besieged by aggressive and well-funded campaigns to overturn their pro-life laws and policies. The Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy was designed to mitigate U.S. taxpayer complicity in global abortion.”

 

Smith pointed to a new Marist poll showing that more than three-quarters of Americans oppose their tax dollars funding abortions in foreign countries.

 

“Americans overwhelmingly oppose using U.S. foreign aid to subsidize abortion,” he stated.

 

U.S. Senator Steve Daines, chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, stated, “President Biden’s decision to reverse critical pro-life policies at home and abroad shows a complete lack of respect for the sanctity of human life. These actions will enrich Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry at the taxpayers’ expense, while endangering the most vulnerable. The United States should not be promoting a radical abortion agenda throughout the world, we should be leading the fight to protect the unborn and all life.”

 

The US Catholic bishops were swift with a response decrying Biden’s Executive Order.

 

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, responded:

 

“It is grievous that one of President Biden’s first official acts actively promotes the destruction of human lives in developing nations. This Executive Order is antithetical to reason, violates human dignity, and is incompatible with Catholic teaching. We and our brother bishops strongly oppose this action. We urge the President to use his office for good, prioritizing the most vulnerable, including unborn children. As the largest non-government health care provider in the world, the Catholic Church stands ready to work with him and his administration to promote global women’s health in a manner that furthers integral human development, safeguarding innate human rights and the dignity of every human life, beginning in the womb. To serve our brothers and sisters with respect, it is imperative that care begin with ensuring that the unborn are free from violence, recognizing every person as a child of God. We hope the new administration will work with us to meet these significant needs.”

 

Biden also restored US funding to the United Nations Population Fund which had been stopped under President Trump due to its complicity with China’s coercive population policy. 

 

Another key pro-life action taken by the Trump administration was overturned as Biden ordered that the US withdraw from the pro-life “Geneva Consensus Declaration” led by the Trump administration and signed last year by 33 other countries, which asserted that “there is no international right to abortion, nor any international obligation on the part of States to finance or facilitate abortion.”

 

On the domestic side, Biden directed the Department of Health and Human Services to review and consider eliminating the Trump administration’s rule on Title X federal family planning program that removed tens of millions of dollars in grants to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. Legal constraints reportedly prevent Biden from rescinding the rule immediately.

 

Pro-Abortion Organizations Expect More from Biden-Harris

Pro-abortion organizations while applauding Biden’s Executive Order, believe this is only the beginning and they are quick to tell him that they expect more from the Biden-Harris pro-abortion administration. Ipas, which provides abortion training and works with health ministries in developing countries, stated: “The Biden-Harris Administration’s order to rescind the Global Gag Rule was expected. We urge them to go further and support the Global HER Act and the Abortion is Healthcare Everywhere Act, which permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule and the Helms Amendment.  

 

“Under the Helms Amendment, all of US foreign assistance, some $40 billion, will remain unavailable for abortion services, information and even training and equipment…We look forward to working with the Biden administration to immediately expand U.S. foreign assistance support for abortion care to the maximum extent allowed under the Helms Amendment, including for abortion information and counseling…

 

“We urge the administration and Congress to implement the Blueprint for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice…This critical work can start today by taking immediate action on all of the First Priorities, a detailed punch list of executive actions to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice for people in the U.S. and around the world. 

 

“And finally, abortion is health care. We urge President Biden not to avoid the word “abortion.” When people don’t use the word, it further stigmatizes and directly harms the very people who want and need access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, as well as those who provide it.” 

 

International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC) also welcomed President Biden’s action to rescind the Global Gag Rule but also states that it is not enough. “Ending the Global Gag Rule through executive action, while necessary, is not sufficient. To advance sexual and reproductive health and rights and truly mitigate the harms of the policy, a permanent, legislative repeal—through the Global HER Act, which is set to be introduced in the House today—must be a priority for the new Congress,” it states in a press release.

 

IWHC urges the Biden administration “to make a strong statement in support of abortion rights, outlining a bold and progressive policy to protect and advance abortion access worldwide, as outlined in the Blueprint for Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice". The Blueprint includes directing the FDA to revisit restrictions on the abortion pill and ending other restrictions on "self-managed abortion" (DIY); and reengaging in UN negotiations “to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights.”

 

Similarly, the Center for Reproductive Rights while applauding Biden’s Executive Order listed its demands for further action “to address all aspects of the harmful anti-reproductive rights legacy of the Trump administration”. This includes: rescinding other Trump-era regulations, including those that allow health care workers to deny reproductive health services and information; restoring reporting on "sexual and reproductive health and rights" in the State Department’s annual country reports on human rights; stopping “over-broad implementation of the Helms Amendment and push for its Congressional repeal”; championing reproductive rights legislation, including the Women’s Health Protection Act, the EACH Woman Act, the Global HER Act, and the Black Maternal Health Omnibus Act; and supporting “the inclusion and recognition of sexual and reproductive rights as fundamental human rights in UN processes and accept and implement the recommendations made to the US on reproductive rights during the Universal Periodic Review.”

Biden Administration and New Congress Begin

Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Democrat, was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States of America, the second Catholic to hold the office in US history. President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles issued a statement to remind President Biden that “the continued injustice of abortion remains the ‘preeminent priority’ of the bishops.”

 

The archbishop’s statement continued, “Preeminent does not mean ‘only.’ We have deep concerns about many threats to human life and dignity in our society. But as Pope Francis teaches, we cannot stay silent when nearly a million unborn lives are being cast aside in our country year after year through abortion.

 

“Abortion is a direct attack on life that also wounds the woman and undermines the family. It is not only a private matter, it raises troubling and fundamental questions of fraternity, solidarity, and inclusion in the human community. It is also a matter of social justice. We cannot ignore the reality that abortion rates are much higher among the poor and minorities, and that the procedure is regularly used to eliminate children who would be born with disabilities.



The 117th Congress began with Democrats outnumbering Republicans in the U.S. House by a 221-211 majority with three seats unfilled—one due to the death of a Republican Member-elect from COVID-19, a still-to-be determined election result, and a Member vacating the seat for a position in the Biden administration.

 

Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic, was reelected as Speaker of the House. In her address to the House she spoke repeatedly about “a better future for our children” and the need to recognize “the beautiful diversity of America, so that no one is left out and no one is left behind”. But, tragically, she abandons the weakest and most vulnerable children in the US today—unborn children—in her support for abortion on demand.

 

The US Senate is evenly split with 50 Republican senators and 50 Democrat senators with Vice President Harris serving as the tie breaker and giving leadership of the Senator to Democrat Chuck Shumer.

President Biden Seeks to Codify Roe v. Wade

The statement from President Biden and Vice President Harris on January 22, 2020, the 48th Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, failed to use the word “abortion”. Instead, it mentioned that “reproductive health” includes the “right to choose” which it stated “has been under relentless and extreme attack” in the past four years. 

 

It stated the Biden administration’s pro-abortion commitment to codifying Roe v. Wade—legalizing abortion by federal law—and “appointing judges that respect foundational precedents like Roe”.

 

The statement previews the administration priority on advancing access to abortion which it considers health care stating, “As the Biden-Harris Administration begins in this critical moment, now is the time to rededicate ourselves to ensuring that all individuals have access to the health care they need.”

 

The head of the Catholic bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, released a statement that included:

 

“It is deeply disturbing and tragic that any President would praise and commit to codifying a Supreme Court ruling that denies unborn children their most basic human and civil right, the right to life, under the euphemistic disguise of a health service. 

 

He reminded Biden and everyone that public officials are not only responsible for their personal beliefs but for the effects of their public actions: “I take this opportunity to remind all Catholics that the Catechism states, ‘Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.’ Public officials are responsible for not only their personal beliefs, but also the effects of their public actions. Roe’s elevation of abortion to the status of a protected right and its elimination of state restrictions paved the way for the violent deaths of more than 62 million innocent unborn children and for countless women who experience the heartache of loss, abandonment, and violence.

 

“We strongly urge the President to reject abortion and promote life-affirming aid to women and communities in need.”

US Supreme Court Says “No” to Abortion Pills by Mail

In a major blow to pro-abortion activists seeking to broaden access to the abortion drug mifepristone—the first drug in the RU 486 regime which starves an unborn child to death— the US Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision reinstated a requirement from the Trump Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the pill must be picked up in person from a health care provider in a medical setting. Maryland District Judge Theodore Chuang had ruled during the summer that the pills could be sent by mail during the pandemic.

 

The case involved the FDA and the pro-abortion American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The latter argued that requiring patients to visit their health care providers in the middle of a pandemic violated the Constitution by creating a substantial obstacle to receiving an abortion. The FDA argued that the regulation sought to protect women.

 

The decision ends mail delivery of the abortion pill for the current time but the FDA under the Biden administration can change the regulations to allow mail delivery of drugs for DIY abortions, something pro-abortion activists are eager to see happen.

World Magazine reports in “The pill and the pandemic” that “The abortion industry uses COVID-19 to meet a long-term goal: eliminating restrictions on abortion pills. The result: more victims among unborn children, more women at risk.”

 

Poll: Most Americans Support Abortion Restrictions

The latest Marist Poll, commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, surveyed more than 1,000 adults on “Americans’ Opinions on Abortion” and found that most Americans agree that abortion in the United States should be limited and that tax dollars should not go to fund abortions in the US or internationally.

 

According to the poll, “while Americans who call themselves pro-choice (53 percent) outnumber those who describe themselves as pro-life (43 percent), most Americans believe that abortion should be limited to the first three months of pregnancy, if it’s permitted at all. A slim majority of respondents said abortion either shouldn’t be permitted at all or should be legal only in cases where a mother’s life is in danger or when she has been the victim of rape or incest.”

 

“Though supporters of unlimited legal abortion often claim that an overwhelming majority of Americans supports the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, the Marist poll results suggest otherwise. Almost two-thirds of respondents said that if the Court reconsiders Roe, it should either make abortion illegal or allow restrictions on abortions as determined by each state. Less than one-third said the Court should maintain the position that abortion should be legal without any restrictions.”

 

A consensus across political and religious lines appeared in the poll on the subject of taxpayer funds paying for abortions. Among those polled, nearly six in ten Americans (58%) oppose using tax dollars to pay for a woman’s abortion. A majority of independents (65%) and a notable proportion of Democrats (31%) also oppose taxpayer funding of abortion.

 

Likewise, a full three-fourths of those polled (77%) either oppose or strongly oppose American tax money going to support abortion in other countries. The policy restricting US funding for international organizations that perform or promote abortion—the so-called Mexico City Policy—was overturned by President Biden despite the fact that according to the survey, a majority of Americans in Biden’s own party disagree with him. A slight majority (55 percent) of Democrats said they do not want the U.S. to fund abortion globally, and nearly two-thirds of American who identify as 'pro-choice' agreed. Independent voters feel even more strongly: Eighty-five percent said they oppose U.S. funding of overseas abortions.

 

Read more here.

A Congressman’s Open Letter to President Biden

The chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, Rep Chris Smith, addressed President Biden in an opinion editorial entitled “Unborn children need the president of the United States to be their advocate, not adversary.” 

 

Rep Chris Smith repeated President Biden’s words from his inauguration speech in which Biden claimed that “the dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer” and spoke of “a cry for survival from the planet itself. A cry that can’t be any more desperate ...” The congressman wrote, “Mr. President, the dream of “justice for all” cannot be achieved if a whole segment of society is legally ignored and discriminated against because of where they live—in their mothers’ wombs—and how small and defenseless they are.

 

“We know you understand this. You get it—or at least you once did.

 

“Years ago you wrote to constituents explaining your support for a law against funding for abortion and said it would “protect both the woman and her unborn child…” You also said: “I have consistently—on no fewer than 50 occasions—voted against federal funding of abortions…those of us who are opposed to abortion should not be compelled to pay for them.”

 

Rep Smith urged the President to replace abortion violence “with compassion and empathy for women and for defenseless unborn babies in the United States and around the world. We must love them both.”

 

He implored President Biden on behalf of unborn children everywhere, “Yet, their cries for survival couldn’t be any more desperate. These children need the President of the United States to be their friend and advocate—not another powerful adversary. 

 

“If your words that the ‘the dream of justice for all will be deferred no longer’ are to have true meaning, the lives of unborn children must be included, and their precious lives must be protected.

 

Justice demands it.”  

UN “Experts” Again Act as Abortion Activists

So-called UN “experts” have again used their positions to interfere in the legislative process on bills concerning abortion. This time they lobbied in support of legislation to overturn laws against abortion in Argentina and South Korea and against a constitutional amendment in Honduras to protect unborn children from abortion.

 

The “experts” serving on the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council are from The Working Group on discrimination against women and girls— Elizabeth Broderick (Chair), Melissa Upreti (Vice Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Radačić, and Meskerem Geset Techane; Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health—Tlaleng Mofokeng; and Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences—Dubravka Simonovic.

 

Prior to the recent passage of the Constitutional amendment in Honduras to create a "shield against abortion", they condemned the legislation stating, "This bill is alarming. Instead of taking a step towards fulfilling women's and girls' fundamental rights, the country is moving backwards.”

 

In December, the same group wrote letters supporting legislation to overturn pro-life prohibitions on abortion in Argentina (11-page letter in Spanish) and South Korea. Following passage of the measures, the group again wrote the two governments commending them for supporting the legalization of abortion.

 

To the government of South Korea they wrote: “We wish to commend the efforts undertaken by the Government to reform the abortion laws and welcome the progressive elements contained in the proposed revisions. Allowing voluntary termination of pregnancy within the first 14 weeks is indeed in line with the more progressive international human rights standards.”

 

The group expressed its opposition to modest pro-life regulations and conscience protections: “…we wish to also point out that the introduction of requirements of third-party authorization from a parent or guardian, mandatory counselling and compulsory waiting periods, are contrary to international human rights standards. Moreover, conscientious objection has to be regulated in a way that it does not prevent women from exercising their access to legal abortion.”

 

To the government of Argentina, the group “welcomed” the decision to legalize abortions up to the 14th week of pregnancy, calling it a “ground-breaking law a crucial step in eliminating discrimination against women and girls” and stating that the new law “is a historic step in Argentina’s fulfilment of its international human rights obligations, and becomes a model for the whole region and beyond.”

 

The pro-abortion activists applauded the “extraordinary mobilisation of all activists in the country who contributed to the adoption of this law” and expressed their disdain for pro-life political views and religious beliefs stating: “It’s now important that the law be applied in the whole country and not be usurped by a political agenda or religious dogma”.

 

They also expressed their concern about allowing “a clause on conscientious objection which allows health professionals not to perform abortions if doing so would violate their personal beliefs” writing that conscientious objection “can only be allowed where there is a clear duty and an effective possibility to refer the pregnant person to a competent and willing provider without any delay to the procedure. This clause should not become a new barrier to timely access to abortion services.”

Honduras: Congress Votes to Bolster Pro-Life Protections

The Honduran Congress approved a Constitutional amendment to strengthen the country’s pro-life laws making them harder to overturn. The proposal expanded Article 67 of Honduran constitution which states, “The unborn will be considered born for everything that favors him within the limits established by the law,” and adds, “It is considered prohibited and illegal to practice any form of interruption of the life of the unborn, whose life must be respected at all times. The legal provisions that establish otherwise will be null and void.”

 

The new amendment would require three-quarters of Congress to approve any changes to the law, thus making it very difficult to change and protecting the unborn for years to come. Bill sponsor Mario Perez said it would effectively put a “constitutional lock” on the pro-life protections. Proponents have called the legislation a “shield against abortion” as abortion activists seek to use the legalization in Argentina as a springboard for more law changes in the region. Now, abortion advocates worry other countries may follow Honduras and enact stronger laws protecting women and children from abortion.

UK: Medical Bodies Urge Health Care Providers to Not Push Abortion

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of Midwives, and the Society and College of Radiographers issued a statement instructing medical providers to not pressure parents of unborn children diagnosed with chromosomal abnormalities to abort. “Some parents whose babies have been identified as having a higher chance of Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome or Patau’s syndrome, and who have decided to continue with the pregnancy, have reported being asked repeatedly if they want further diagnostic tests or an abortion,” said the joint statement. “This should not happen,” they continued, noting that parents’ decision should be respected.

 

The statement is timely as the NHS begins to introduce Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) throughout England. NIPT uses a blood test to determine an unborn baby’s chances of having Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s Syndrome. There have been increased concerns with this screening, especially after a report by The Sunday Times found that 30 percent fewer babies have been born with Down syndrome in hospitals using NIPT. 

Argentina Legalizes Abortion, Regional Nations Respond

Fulfilling President Alberto Fernández’s campaign promise, Argentina’s Congress passed legislation legalizing abortion. The Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy Bill, a culmination of years of pressure from abortion advocates, makes abortion available on demand for the first 14 weeks of gestation. Previously, Argentina— the homeland of Pope Francis— only permited abortion in cases of rape and the life of the mother. An attempt to pass similar legislation in 2018 failed by seven votes. The new law went into effect January 24, 2021.

 

Argentines across the country did not share the same enthusiasm as the abortion activists marching in the streets clad in green. In the Tucumán province, Yerba Buena Mayor Mariano Campero ordered flags flown as half-mast for three days to mourn the “babies who will not be born.” Javier Januts, the city’s secretary of institutional relations, said the city had recognized March 25^th as the Day of the Unborn Child since 2012. “We understand that this abortion law is unconstitutional. It was approved by a very small margin,” said Jantus. “… the vast majority of Argentines reject this law, which is one of the most permissive and cruel laws in the world.” Jantus also said they had received support and encouragement from other locales and groups, who said they wanted to take similar actions.

 

Regional nations also responded to the move. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro criticized Argentina for “sanctioning murder”. The President spoke of Argentina’s vote, “We deplore this, because we understand that it involves the killing of a child in the uterus, no matter which country it is in.” He assured, “As long as it depends on me, abortion will never be approved in Brazil.”

 

In neighboring Paraguay, the House of Representatives held a moment of silence in reaction to the vote to honor “the babies that will die”. Congressman Raúl Latorre requested the moment to acknowledge the actions the neighboring legislature had just approved. Congressman Basilio Núñez, reminded the House that it is pro-life and pro-family and that “what has happened in Argentina is a tragedy”.  

Thailand: Senate Approves Abortion in First Trimester

Legislators in Thailand have approved legislation to allow abortion in the first trimester. Senators voted 166-7 for the bill, which has already passed the lower house, and comes in response to a Constitutional Court ruling last winter. Under the new law, abortion is permissible up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, and after 12 weeks, in cases of rape, fetal anomaly, and risks to the mother’s life as determined by a doctor. Abortion advocates protested that the bill did not go far enough, since it did not remove penalties to abortion.  

Spain on Track to Legalize Euthanasia

Spanish parliamentarians are advancing a bill to legalize euthanasia which is likely to soon become law. The legislation would permit a terminal patient to choose to end their life, provided it was chosen “freely and unequivocally.” The patient can choose euthanasia by a medical provider or assisted suicide, which could occur at home with a lethal prescription. The lower house of Parliament approved the bill by a vote of 198-138, with two abstentions and it is expected to soon pass the Senate and come into force this spring.

 

The Spanish Church's Conference of Bishops has strongly opposed the legislation and emphasized that it puts pressure on patients to end their lives. “The experience of the few countries that have legalized euthanasia is that it incites the weakest to seek death,” they said in a statement. The Bishops Conference is circulating a draft living will and urging people to an advanced directive to protect themselves against the government backed plan. “Given the possible approval of the euthanasia law, it is necessary to prevent its abusive application when informed consent cannot be expressed. We are encouraging the faithful to sign such a document to avoid violating the dignity and freedom of disabled people, and to help humanise the death process through material and spiritual assistance,” they stated.

Poland: New Law Protecting Disabled Unborn Babies Goes into Effect

A new pro-life law in Poland has gone into effect protecting disabled unborn babies from abortion. The law follows a Constitutional Court ruling last October that struck down the exception in the 1993 abortion law permitting abortion for babies diagnosed with a fetal anomaly. Following the court’s decision, Poland’s commissioner for child rights, Mikolaj Pawlak, celebrated the decision. “The decision of the Constitutional Court declaring eugenic abortion incompatible with the constitution is a victory of life over death,” said Pawlak. “It is a restoration of equal rights for every human being, including those who have not yet been born.” 

 

The new law goes into effect as reports of increased numbers of unborn babies are being aborted on account of prenatal diagnoses. Abortion supporters have taken to the streets in disruptive protests since the ruling, vandalizing buildings, disrupting church services, and striking from their jobs.

US: New Ohio Law Will Honor Bodies of Unborn Babies Killed by Abortion

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a bill into law recognizing the humanity of babies killed by abortion. The new law- the Unborn Child Dignity Act- requires the Ohio Department of Health to create guidelines for the proper burial or cremation of unborn children killed by abortion. In doing so, it treats the babies’ bodies with dignity while also ensuring that abortion clinics do not sell their body parts. “No longer will the tiny bodies of babies whose lives have been tragically taken by abortion be treated like trash. In Ohio, we respect life and we bury our dead. The abortion industry, who has for decades tried to convince women that the lives of their children don’t matter and should simply be thrown away, will now be unable to hide behind this blatant lie,” said Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life.  

142.6 Million “Missing Women”

UNFPA’s State of World Population 2020 report indicates that access to sex determination technology combined with access to abortion is a major contributor to the high number of missing women in the world today. The number of “missing women” has more than doubled over the past 50 years, from 61 million in 1970 to an estimated 142.6 million in 2020. “Missing women” refers to girls whose lives are ended through prenatal sex selection (abortion) or who die sometime after birth from neglect or deliberate action in what is called “postnatal sex selection.”

 

According to the report, China and India together account for 90-95% of the estimated missing female births worldwide caused by sex selection abortion with China having an estimated 72.3 million and India an estimated 45.8 million missing women. The report warns that over time missing girls become missing women and missing elderly women impacting a country for generations and leading to increased violence and human rights violations against women including rape, coerced sex, sexual exploitation, trafficking and child marriage.