Reproductive Freedom

Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, we strive to ensure that every person has the opportunity to make a real decision about whether and when to have children and the ability to get the care they need.

A collage featuring photos of a packet of pills, people protesting outside the U.S. Supreme Court, and two sets of hands, one comforting the other.

Deciding whether or not to have a child is a deeply personal matter that should be left to individuals and their doctors. Yet some politicians continuously work to chip away at abortion access. In response, the ACLU of North Carolina works to ensure that every person can make the best decision for themselves and their family about whether and when to have a child without unwelcome governmental interference.

Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures performed today, and it’s incredibly safe. However, legislation, poorly resourced centers, and social stigma present overwhelming obstacles to accessing abortion care across the country, and especially in North Carolina. Across our state, lawmakers have consistently attacked North Carolinians’ right to choose by radically restricting access to safe, legal, and affordable abortion care. These restrictions disproportionately impact people of color, low-income communities, and people who live in rural areas.

Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, we strive to ensure that every person has the opportunity to make informed decisions about whether and when to have children and the ability to get the care they need. Our work focuses on a range of issues, including protecting access to affordable contraception, defending doctor-patient relationships, and preserving North Carolinians’ ability to make decisions about their bodies.

Check out our most recent podcast episodes:

This embed will serve content from {{ domain }}. See our privacy statement

Listen to it on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

The Latest

Resource
Placeholder image

Home

Press Release
Placeholder image

NC House Passes Bill Targeting Medical Care for Young People

The North Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 519 today, which would take away young people’s ability to consent to certain health care without parental permission. 
News & Commentary
Painting of flowers with messages behind them, not readable in this format

Art Inspired by North Carolina's Abortion Story

Artist Andrea Renee Downs donated her painting "Waystation," inspired by our film "North Carolina's Abortion Story," to the staff at a Planned Parenthood health center.
Press Release
Placeholder image

ACLU and ACLU of NC Launch Voter Education and Mobilization Effort for State Supreme Court and Legislative Races

The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of North Carolina are launching a campaign to educate voters on the importance of the North Carolina Supreme Court, Senate, and House of Representatives elections this November.
Issue Areas: Reproductive Freedom
Court Case
Sep 03, 2020

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic v. Moore

We are fighting in the courts to protect abortion access in North Carolina. This case challenges several unnecessary abortion restrictions currently on the books.
Court Case
Sep 29, 2011

Restrictions on Abortion Access/First Amendment

The ACLU and other groups successfully challenged North Carolina’s 2011 law that would have forced a woman to undergo a narrated ultrasound four hours before having an abortion, even if the woman objects.
Court Case
Nov 30, 2016

Bryant v. Woodall

The ACLU and other reproductive rights groups successfully challenged North Carolina’s unconstitutional law that prevented doctors from providing abortion care to a woman after the twentieth week of pregnancy.