The Issues

Almost as soon as abortion became legal nationwide, the coordinated campaign to roll-back that right began. In 1977, poor women were the first to be targeted and have their rights targeted. Since then, young people, low-income women, those serving in the military, and indigenous women are among the many people, domestically and globally, who have been systematically denied access to abortion because of anti-choice U.S. policies.

You may have guessed that URGE activists don’t just sit back while abortion access is stripped away. We work - often in the states with the most persistent challenges - to fight like hell against the threats to abortion access. We also push our uncompromising vision to expand access, including repealing forced parental involvement laws and restoring insurance coverage of abortion for all people.

Our chapters also work outside the legislative process to expand access in their communities, by helping to protect clinic safety and raising money for abortion funds. The right to choose an abortion - and the ability to access one - is deeply connected to many other issues. We believe that to achieve true choice, we must work eradicate the barriers that impact a person’s ability to choose.

Whether a person decides to become a parent, choose adoption, or have an abortion we all deserve to access the support and healthcare we need and build the families we want. URGE stands for the rights of all people to make those decisions for themselves free from stigma and shame.