1
Abortion
Student
Grand Canyon University
PHI-105: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Chip Hellman
August 22, 2021
, 2
Abortion
Everyone should be able to make decisions for themselves. Unfortunately, many women
and girls around the world do not get the basic human right to make decisions for themselves
when it comes to their bodies. Abortion needs to be legal. Women and girls will still seek unsafe
alternate ways to terminate a pregnancy. They should not be forced or feel forced to do that. Not
allowing women and girls to terminate unwanted pregnancies violates their human rights. When
the law does not allow for women to have abortions, it is a form of discrimination. Abortion
should be legal because penalizing abortion does not prevent it, it violates the human rights of
women and girls, and it discriminates against women and girls.
Penalizing Abortion
Making laws to penalize abortion will not prevent abortions from happening. An
increasing body of research in the United States reveals that some people seek alternatives to the
formal healthcare system to abort a pregnancy (Raifman et al., 2021). Women and girls seek self-
managed abortions (SMA). A SMA is an abortion carried out by the pregnant woman herself or
with the assistance of non-medical personnel. Additionally, the backdrop of local abortion policy
and the available proximity of abortion services may influence the decision to try SMA. In
addition to not being able to prevent it by making it illegal, it also violates the human rights of
women and girls.
Violation of Human Rights
Abortion being illegal violates the human rights of women and girls. It is a human right
to have access to safe abortion services. All persons are entitled to life, health, and the freedom to
Abortion
Student
Grand Canyon University
PHI-105: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Chip Hellman
August 22, 2021
, 2
Abortion
Everyone should be able to make decisions for themselves. Unfortunately, many women
and girls around the world do not get the basic human right to make decisions for themselves
when it comes to their bodies. Abortion needs to be legal. Women and girls will still seek unsafe
alternate ways to terminate a pregnancy. They should not be forced or feel forced to do that. Not
allowing women and girls to terminate unwanted pregnancies violates their human rights. When
the law does not allow for women to have abortions, it is a form of discrimination. Abortion
should be legal because penalizing abortion does not prevent it, it violates the human rights of
women and girls, and it discriminates against women and girls.
Penalizing Abortion
Making laws to penalize abortion will not prevent abortions from happening. An
increasing body of research in the United States reveals that some people seek alternatives to the
formal healthcare system to abort a pregnancy (Raifman et al., 2021). Women and girls seek self-
managed abortions (SMA). A SMA is an abortion carried out by the pregnant woman herself or
with the assistance of non-medical personnel. Additionally, the backdrop of local abortion policy
and the available proximity of abortion services may influence the decision to try SMA. In
addition to not being able to prevent it by making it illegal, it also violates the human rights of
women and girls.
Violation of Human Rights
Abortion being illegal violates the human rights of women and girls. It is a human right
to have access to safe abortion services. All persons are entitled to life, health, and the freedom to
