Latina health advocates remember anniversary of Hyde Amendment

Today the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) remembers the 38th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits insurance coverage of  abortion services for women enrolled in Medicaid.

Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, issued the following statement:

“Today we join reproductive justice, health, and rights activists in remembering the 38th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment. This amendment was created as a deliberate attack on low-income women’s reproductive freedom. In particular, this restriction disproportionately impacts Latinas and other women of color, due to systemic barriers that keep them poverty.

“Latinas are more likely to be low-income and more likely to experience unintended pregnancy, exacerbating the harms of the Hyde Amendment for our community. But after 38 years, Latinas are saying ‘ya basta,’ enough is enough, and lifting our voices across the country to demand change. It is time to bring an end to the grim legacy of this policy- it is time for our leaders and policymakers to stand with women and for justice. It is time to ensure that abortion is truly accessible and affordable for all, regardless of your income, where you live, or your immigration status. It’s time to lift all bans on abortion coverage.”

To learn more about how the Hyde Amendment harms Latinas, check out our new report.

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The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national reproductive justice organization dedicated to building Latina power to advance health, dignity, and justice for 26 million Latinas, their families, and communities in the United States through leadership development, community mobilization, policy advocacy, and strategic communications.