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Recognizing Human Rights Day and celebrating abortion access as a human right.
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WHEREAS, On December 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, establishing universal rights and freedom for all people, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political opinion, national origin, or other status; and
WHEREAS, Current federal attacks violate several essential human rights, including the right to health, nondiscrimination, privacy, freedom of movement, to be free from cruel and inhuman treatment, to life and many others. Access to abortion care is an essential component of comprehensive reproductive health care and is integral to the full realization of human rights, including the rights to life, health, privacy, equality, and freedom from discrimination; and
WHEREAS, On August 27, 2025, in an attempt to evade accountability for these grave, ongoing human rights violations in the country, the U.S. State Department sent a letter to the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights stating that the Administration will not participate in its upcoming Universal Periodic Review, a mandatory UN process through which countries review each other’s human rights records; and
WHEREAS, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) laid the groundwork for the formation of the Reproductive Justice framework. The founding mothers of reproductive justice borrowed from the core tenants of the UDHR to develop a new vision to address and dismantle the systemic barriers Black birthing people face in achieving reproductive and sexual health and autonomy; and
WHEREAS, The Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade, has increased the risk of criminalization for health care providers, people seeking abortions and those who support them, undermining the right to bodily autonomy and endangering the health, safety, and dignity of pregnant people. Punishing people for their pregnancy violates their human rights and creates many adverse consequences, including putting health, fertility, and lives at risk, being forced to carry pregnancies against their will and even nonviable pregnancies to term, economic insecurity associated with an unplanned pregnancy, and being criminalized for miscarriage and other pregnancy outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Research has shown an 8% increase in pregnancy associated mortality, with the highest impact being felt amongst Black birthing people, who already face a higher rate of baseline mortality. Pregnant people in states that ban abortion are twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth. In 2024, over 155,000 patients were forced to travel out of state to seek abortion care. In Philadelphia, the rate of severe maternal morbidity has been steadily trending upward since 2018 and the racial disparities mirror national trends, with black birthing people experiencing severe maternal morbidity at nearly double the rate of white birthing people; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes and celebrates the nation’s human rights obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the right to full and safe access to reproductive health care services including abortion care, and recognizes December 10, 2025 as Human Rights Day in the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to All* Above All as evidence of the admiration and respect of this Council.
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