Latinas condemn decision that withholds contraceptive coverage for women

Oklahoma-based craft store Hobby Lobby has won a temporary exemption from a requirement in the federal health care law to offer insurance coverage for the morning-after pill and similar emergency birth control methods or face steep fines. Jessica González-Rojas, executive director of National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH) released the following statement after the exemption:
“We are shocked and deeply disappointed in the decision which would allow a company to use religion to discriminate against and deny health care to their employees. No employer should be making personal health care decisions for their employees, and denying coverage for birth control effectively denies women this important health care service. For Latinas in particular, who experience higher rates of unplanned pregnancy and struggle to consistently access contraception because of cost, immigration status and other barriers, this is a bad decision. The last thing that these women need is more hurdles to important reproductive care. We are hopeful that this temporary injunction will be lifted, ensuring the Latinas who work for Hobby Lobby can make the best decisions for themselves and their families.”
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The National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health is the only national organization working on behalf of the reproductive health and justice of the 24 million Latinas, their families and communities in the United States through public education, community mobilization and policy advocacy.