This month, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a case in Michigan challenging three abortion restrictions. In Bangladesh, the Center and partners are leading an initiative to enhance delivery of sexual, reproductive and maternal health services for Rohingya refugees. Keep reading to learn more about how this initiative has already trained over 2,000 refugee women and girls about their health-related rights.

United States

Center Sues Michigan to Block Burdensome Abortion Laws

This month, we filed a case in Michigan challenging three abortion restrictions. These restrictions are in violation of Michigan’s Reproductive Freedom for All constitutional amendment (RFFA), which voters overwhelmingly passed on November 8, 2022. Our suit argues that these restrictions violate the RFFA by imposing medically unjustified restrictions on abortion. The laws single out abortion care for uniquely onerous treatment, and discriminate against Michiganders who already face health inequities, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, low-income communities, and people in rural areas of the state.

Asia

Center-led Program in Bangladesh to Improve Reproductive Health Services for Rohingya Refugees

Working with national partners in Bangladesh, the Center is leading the implementation of a program to improve the delivery of reproductive health services and protect reproductive rights for Rohingya women and girls living at the Cox’s Bazar refugee settlement. One of the largest refugee settlements in the world, Cox’s Bazar hosts over one million Rohingya refugees who have been forcibly displaced from Myanmar due to the military’s campaign of ethnic cleansing. With partners, the Center is designing a new participatory and rights-based accountability system to strengthen the delivery of sexual, reproductive, and maternal health services to ensure that women and girls have access to services without discrimination.

Donor Spotlight

In 2019, Deonne and Janet Kahler, a South Dakota-based mother and daughter pair, embarked on a shared effort to impact the lives of women and girls all over the world. In seeking organizations that could help them realize this goal, Deonne discovered the Center for Reproductive Rights, and was taken with our efficiency and track record of success. "The right to have an abortion is absolutely vital for all women around the world," shared Janet, and the Center’s commitment to defending that right inspired them to give.

Janet has been active in her local Rotary Club for more than a decade and supported other community organizations, and Deonne has been an activist for a number of progressive causes since her youth. Janet credits Deonne with helping her broaden her philanthropic focus–the fact that they’ve been aligned on all of the organizations they support thus far has made their efforts all the more fun for them both.

“Family is the place where philanthropy begins, and I think it’s important younger people get interested in these causes early,” said Deonne when asked what she’d like to share with people about their giving. “Instilling a sense of service is so important–it’s the primary value we bring to the planet and to each other–even when they can’t donate financially, they can give donate their time.”

"Through the RFFA, Michigan voters overwhelmingly declared that they will not tolerate paternalistic and medically baseless restrictions on abortion like those we are challenging in this case. With this lawsuit, we hope to eliminate these harmful restrictions and ensure the state’s laws reflect the will of Michigan voters."

—Rabia Muqaddam, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights