October 18, 2017 - 5:30pm

ACLU-KY allies Louisville Clinic Escorts and Kentucky Health Justice Network urge Louisville Metro Leaders to Take a Stand and Expand Protections for Reproductive Freedom.

National Institute for Reproductive Health Releases First-Of-Its-Kind Initiative to Evaluate and Lay a Blueprint for Advancing Reproductive Health, Rights and Justice Policies in Cities

About the Local Reproductive Freedom Index

On October 18, 2017, the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) released the Local Reproductive Freedom Index, a first-of-its-kind initiative to evaluate the reproductive health, rights and justice policies of 40 U.S. cities including Louisville, which received 1.5 out of five stars.

View the Louisville report HERE!

Louisville Clinic Escorts and Kentucky Health Justice Network are calling upon Louisville Metro Council and Mayor Greg Fischer to advance and protect reproductive freedoms in light of the constant threat from state and federal governments.
 
Since the GOP took control of the Kentucky legislature in 2015, we have seen multiple unconstitutional abortion restrictions passed into law, plus the satellite location of EMW, which was in Lexington, permanently closed, leaving just one abortion clinic in the entire Commonwealth. Between the legal efforts to eliminate clinics, and consistent verbal and physical attacks and intimidation tactics on the sidewalk outside EMW, we know that access to legal abortions is under constant threat here.
 
The Local Index focuses on more than just abortion access, though, and shows us that Louisville has a long way to go, especially if city officials want to live up to the “Compassionate City” branding which they so proudly claim with words, while actions tell a different tale.
 
Using 37 unique policy indicators, NIRH’s Local Reproductive Freedom Index calculates how individual cities are protecting and advancing reproductive rights across a range of categories including access to abortion clinics, funding and coverage for reproductive health care, support for young people and families and advancement of inclusive policies. NIRH also provides a Model City roadmap that can be used to inspire and guide better policies at the local level.
 
The Index shows that some cities have already started stepping up to resist the Trump administration’s assault on reproductive healthcare. We are calling on Louisville to use the Index as a guide to improve reproductive freedom and lead the way for the rest of Kentucky.
 
Local advocates have been working for more than a year to ask Metro Council to make safer sidewalks outside of the only clinic here. Now more than ever we recognize a need for access, and we will continue to work with partners to hold Metro Council accountable, but also to stand firm in Frankfort, as Matt Bevin, Dan Johnson, and others remain determined to put the lives and bodies of individuals at risk for the sake of their personal beliefs, rather than protecting the rights and families of Kentuckians who deserve access to safe and legal healthcare.
 
“As the federal government works to strip women of control over their reproductive and sexual lives, and many states move to pass even more draconian anti-abortion restrictions than in previous years, local action is becoming increasingly important,”said Andrea Miller, president of NIRH and the NIRH Action Fund.“Right now, Louisville has an opportunity to advance and protect reproductive freedom, and the Local Index provides a blue print for actions that cities can act upon.”
 
“The launch of the Local Reproductive Freedom Index is taking NIRH’s city-based advocacy model to the next level,” Miller said.“We know that radical progress starts local–and that now is the time for cities to hold their own and protect their residents.”

Marcie Crim, Executive Director, Kentucky Health Justice Network said “We’re lucky to have some elected officials in Louisville who support reproductive freedom, but we also know there’s a lot more work that needs to be done. With the Local Index, we now have a roadmap of how our city can improve the reproductive health and lives of city residents.”

Advocates, policymakers, and citizens can visit localrepro.org to see how their cities fare and to learn about specific actions they can take to influence positive community change. NIRH will be hosting a public webinar to introduce the Local Index on October 19th and invite folks to join by registering here.

 

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