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Dear team,
As we are all grappling with the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on our families, our colleagues, and our work, I hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe. As a global human rights organization, we are keenly aware that our communities worldwide are feeling the impact of this pandemic. Our top priority is the health and safety of our staff, our supporters, and the people who rely on us, many of whom are already among the most vulnerable and are disproportionately impacted by crises like this. Our staff are all working remotely until further notice, dealing with the practicalities of this transition while keeping our essential work moving forward.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced that it is postponing oral arguments for the remainder of the March session and we anticipate that it could be longer. As you know, our Louisiana case was heard on March 4, and there is now the possibility that the Court will issue a decision in our case earlier than expected—and we are ready.
With courts and legislatures across the country closing, and Congress likely to take an extended recess, we’re also carefully monitoring how the pandemic is impacting our work and, most importantly, our clients. We are actively working on 31 cases in 19 states to protect and expand abortion access for all. As health care providers, our clients are on the front lines of the pandemic. They are struggling with how to protect their staff and their patients while trying to deliver critical medical services.
In six states in the U.S. there is only one abortion provider and 90 percent of counties in the country have no providers at all. Our clients and their patients face many additional challenges created by harmful state and federal restrictions that single out and target abortion care. For example, many states require patients to make a second, medically unnecessary in-person trip to obtain abortion services, increasing exposure to COVID-19 for both themselves and the medical staff at the clinics.
Last week, anti-abortion members of the U.S. House of Representatives attempted to expand the reach of the Hyde Amendment, a discriminatory ban on abortion coverage in federal health programs, through emergency spending legislation for COVID-19. Our champions in the House rejected this political ploy and it was defeated, but there is another aid package on the horizon that we are monitoring closely to ensure abortion access remains intact.
On the global front, the UN has indefinitely postponed all meetings and our global advocacy work is largely on hold. From Africa to Latin America to Europe and Asia, we are planning for extensive disruptions in the courts, state governments, and regional bodies.
As we continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic, we are developing plans to ensure our sustainability and continuity in our core business operations so that as the crisis abates, we are strongly positioned to pursue our mission to its fullest.
Be safe, stay healthy, and know that we are thinking of you and yours during this unprecedented challenging time that we face together.
In solidarity,
Nancy
Nancy Northup
President & CEO
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