Reproductive Justice Priorities

Health Equity, Care, Access

• Increase federal funding for the identification and amelioration of diseases and conditions that inequitably impact Black women, including those caused by social determinants of health.
• Invest in a diverse, representative, and responsive health care workforce that hears Black women, and require training on timely and appropriate treatment for all races and ethnicities.
• Expand access to mental health services.

Maternal Health and Pregnancy Care

• Increase funding for doulas and midwifery care in federal health care programs.
• Guarantee comprehensive holistic maternity care for at least one year postpartum.
• Pass federal law to ban the shackling of pregnant incarcerated people.
• Pass legislation to require comprehensive coverage for fertility care and treatment.

Abortion Access

• End all federal bans on abortion care coverage.
• Pass the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act (EACH).
• Pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA).

Comprehensive Sexual Education and Contraceptive Equity

• Pass the Real Education for Healthy Youth Act to expand contraceptive access.
• Codify Title X family planning regulations.
• Expand funding for increased sexual and reproductive health education.
• Prevent “religious freedom” from blocking access to comprehensive sexual health education.

Voting Rights

• Pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to ensure Black people can vote.
• Pass the For the People Act to address gerrymandering and reform campaign finance systems.

Economic Justice

• Prioritize student loan debt relief.
• Pass a national paid leave program.
• Make child tax credits permanent.

Public Health and Community Safety

• Robustly fund the Sexual Assault Services Grant Program and sexual assault research
• Pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
• Increase and protect funding for vital public health agencies and programs and reverse damaging rollbacks.

Environmental Justice

• Prioritize environmental justice in infrastructure funding implementation and future investments, including increasing access to clean water.
• Address the impacts of climate change on Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people.

What Can You Do?

• Read more about In Our Own Voice’s federal advocacy priorities for 2023 (PDF).
• Use our resources to advocate locally.
• Meet with your members of Congress or their staff.
• Attend a public forum or town hall and ask a question. Call the district offices of your senators and representative to request a list of events near you.
• Submit an op-ed to your local paper.
• Use Facebook or Twitter to engage your members of Congress.
• Send an action alert message to your members of Congress or call your members of Congress.
• Contact our government affairs staff for advocacy strategies and useful resources.