At the Center for Reproductive Rights, we’re fighting to protect and advance reproductive freedom worldwide. From confronting restrictive abortion policies to championing equity on the global stage, we are dedicated to creating a future where everyone has access to the health care they deserve. Here's a snapshot of our most recent efforts:

Global

Celebrating World IVF Day: July 25th

Today is World IVF Day. On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown became the first baby born through in vitro fertilization (IVF), a groundbreaking milestone in reproductive medicine. Since then, IVF has helped millions of people around the world build their families. Today, we honor the hope and progress IVF has made possible—while staying vigilant against the threats it faces.

In 2023 alone, IVF led to over 95,000 births in the U.S.—about 2.6% of all births. Despite its widespread use, IVF is still often misunderstood and remains out of reach for many. Our new fact sheet breaks down how IVF works, who relies on it, the biggest barriers to access, and the policies needed to ensure everyone can access this essential care.

🔗 Learn about threats to IVF and their anticipated impacts

Africa

Justice for Josephine: A Landmark Win for Maternal Health in Kenya

In 2013, Josephine Majani arrived at Bungoma District Hospital in Kenya in labor, expecting care and compassion. Instead, she was neglected, abused, and forced to give birth on the hospital floor alone and in agony. Her harrowing experience, captured on video, sparked national outrage and ignited a historic legal battle brought by the Center for Reproductive Rights for accountability, justice, and dignity in Kenya's public maternal health system.

A new seven-minute documentary, Justice for Josephine, tells the story of her fight for justice—and the legal victory that affirmed respectful maternity care as a constitutional right in Kenya. In 2024, the Kenya Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, reinforcing the government's obligation to protect the rights and dignity of all women.

🔗 Watch the film to hear from Josephine and the Center attorneys by her side

United States

U.S. Congress moves to repeal protections for reproductive health clinics

The House Judiciary Committee recently passed a bill to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act)—a 30-year-old law prohibiting violence against patients, reproductive health care workers, and medical facilities. The bill now heads to the full House floor for a vote.

Renee Chelian, longtime Center client and founder and CEO of Northland Family Planning Centers in Michigan, submitted testimony for the House Judiciary Committee, describing her experiences with clinic violence and the importance of the FACE Act.

Repealing the FACE Act would encourage even more attacks and violence against abortion patients and providers. Earlier this year, the Trump administration pardoned 23 people who were convicted of violating the FACE Act and said it would not enforce the law.

🔗 Read Renee Chelian's testimony for the House Judiciary Committee

"If the FACE Act is repealed, the episodes of violence, blockades, and bomb and death threats will escalate as these are all crimes covered under FACE. If the FACE Act is repealed, we will return to the 1970s and 1980s, only worse as these extremists are now more emboldened than ever."

—Renee Chelian, founder and CEO of Northland Family Planning Centers