The Reproductive Rights & Health of Women of Color
Approximately 30 percent of all women in the United States are women of color. Although they face many of the same health issues as white women, systematic obstacles disproportionately and adversely affect their access to quality reproductive-health care. There are many factors that contribute to this problem including: insufficient research on minority women's health language barriers lack of cultural-competency training shortage and inequitable distribution of minority and women's health care professionals.
Women of color also experience high maternal mortality rates, HIV and STD rates, and because women of color are more likely to also be low income women, these women are at further disadvantage because they often lack access to basic reproductive health care. These inequities and structural challenges create a country where the reproductive health care needs of women of color are unmet. We must work to pass legislation and promote policy initiatives to break down these barriers and guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive-health choices. |
