The following is a statement from Annie Contractor, Policy Director at RuralOrganizing:
At Rural Organizing, we welcome this new rule on contraception access, which will have a positive impact in rural communities. There is significant data highlighting the challenges rural U.S. residents face in accessing affordable contraception. Many rural areas are considered “contraceptive deserts,” meaning they lack reasonable access to health centers that offer a full range of contraceptive methods.
About 19 million women of reproductive age in the U.S. live in these contraceptive deserts. Additionally, 30% of low-income and uninsured women rely on health centers and public family planning clinics for contraception and other preventive services.
These women often face barriers such as long travel distances to obtain prescriptions and limited availability of over-the-counter contraceptive options.
Addressing the day-to-day needs of rural residents means addressing the needs of one-fifth of the US population. The ability to control if and when you have a pregnancy is fundamental to being able to control the direction of your life. We look forward to this increasing personal freedom around the country, especially in places where there are even more barriers.
The mission of RuralOrganizing.org is to rebuild a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and equitable. Follow us on Twitter @RuralOrganizing.
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