PRESS RELEASE: Abortion Rights Slams US Claim That NHS Abortion Care Is a Human Rights Abuse
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 November 2025
London — Abortion Rights, Britain’s national pro-choice campaign, has condemned the US State Department’s decision to label NHS abortion provision a “human rights violation”.
Abortion Rights says the move is politically motivated, lacks any grounding in international human rights standards, and represents an unacceptable attempt by a foreign administration to interfere in UK democratic decisions.
Abortion Rights’ Chair Kerry Abel says the claim is “outrageous and dangerous”
Kerry Abel says:
“Calling safe, legal NHS abortion care a human rights violation is outrageous and dangerous. It’s an ideological stunt, not a serious human rights assessment.”
Abortion Rights warns that the US attempt to redefine human rights distracts from genuine global abuses:
“Human rights reporting should expose torture and persecution — not attack women’s healthcare.”
Britain Overwhelmingly Supports Abortion Rights
“This is blatant political interference from a foreign administration. In Britain, support for abortion rights is not contested — YouGov’s long-running tracker shows nearly nine in ten people believe women should have the right to an abortion. Our reproductive healthcare is backed by overwhelming public support and a clear democratic mandate. It cannot be rewritten by a US president.”
YouGov tracker:
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/should-women-have-the-right-to-an-abortion
NHS Abortion Care Is Safe, Essential, and Evidence-Based
“This attempt to smear NHS care is a reckless effort to export US culture wars to the UK. Our healthcare system — and our rights — are not theirs to rewrite.”
US Maternal Mortality Crisis Makes the Criticism Even More Shocking
“The United States should focus on its own maternal health crisis before lecturing others. Maternal mortality is significantly higher in the US than in the UK — and preventable deaths are rising fastest in abortion-ban states. The US is in no position to criticise evidence-based NHS care that protects women’s lives.”
Guardian investigation:
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/article/2024/jun/05/maternal-mortality-rate
A Pattern of US Interference in UK Reproductive Rights
“Abortion Rights has been warning for some time about growing US political interference in UK reproductive rights. This pattern is becoming increasingly clear — and this latest intervention is the most direct attempt yet to influence our domestic healthcare and our democratic decisions.”
Call for UK Government to Push Back
Abortion Rights is urging government ministers to reject the US designation outright and reaffirm their commitment to reproductive freedom.
“We will keep fighting to ensure every woman in the UK can access the care she needs, free from stigma, misinformation, or political interference — now and in the future.”
ENDS
Abortion Rights is the only grassroots pro-choice campaign in Britain, working for safe, free, legal and accessible abortion for all who need it.
We defend reproductive rights, challenge misinformation, and stand up for everyone’s right to make decisions about their own body.
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