Recognizing that attacks on reproductive health care access often force advocates and providers into a defensive mode, the National Institute sees proactive policy work that actively advances access to reproductive health care as critical to sustaining access across the country. We support organizing, advocacy, and coalition building to achieve policy change and improve access to reproductive health care.
In recent years, advocates and policymakers have focused on comprehensive women’s legislative agendas that recognize the connection among policies that advance women’s economic stability, equality, and access to reproductive health care.
See the National Institute’s research exploring attitudes toward linking reproductive health and rights with other areas of women’s lives.
The National Institute has worked closely on several state-specific comprehensive women’s agendas:
Between 2013 and 2015, the New York State Assembly twice passed the full 10-point Women’s Equality Act, as well as a standalone bill enshrining the protections of Roe v. Wade in New York State law – marking the first time in decades that abortion rights was debated and embraced on the floor of either legislative chamber. However, the anti-choice-led State Senate repeated refused to act on the abortion legislation contained in the package. By 2015, the remainder of the Women’s Equality Act passed both chambers, and most were signed by Gov. Cuomo.