Autonomy, Equality, and Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

Abstract

The focus of this article is on access to sexual and reproductive health care, an essential aspect of reproductive justice. Although the scope of the problem is unknown, there are reasons to question whether Canadian women are able to access reproductive and sexual health services such as contraception and abortion. The author discusses these issues, and the significance of additional barriers that Canada’s First Nations, Metis, and Inuit women face in obtaining access to reproductive health care services. The author argues that providing meaningful access to sexual and reproductive health care is essential to ensuring women’s reproductive autonomy, and must be part of any political endeavour aimed at ensuring equal status for women.