LWVWC Statement on Washington County Quorum Court “Pro-Life” Resolution

The League of Women Voters of Washington County stands in strong opposition to the “pro-life” resolution that will be brought to Quorum Court on July 15th. All people deserve access to healthcare, comprehensive sex education, and the freedom to make their own reproductive choices.

Members of our League have worked in hospitals and underserved communities in Washington County providing direct care to women that suffered life-threatening complications as a result of pregnancy and childbirth, as well as premature and low-birth weight infants, all of which are all too common scenarios in Northwest Arkansas partially due to the high incidence of women that receive inadequate or no prenatal care.

The United States’ maternal mortality rate is twice that of many other high-income countries, and the maternal mortality rate in Arkansas is 50% higher than the country's average, with Black women experiencing even higher rates of maternal mortality than average. Alarmingly, even though the majority of maternal deaths are preventable, the maternal mortality rate is increasing.

There are pregnant people and new parents with infants living in Washington County right now that don’t have enough food for their families, are without stable housing, and are unable to access healthcare due to lack of transportation, funds, language interpreters, and other barriers. There are people in Washington County that are in need of education on how to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and others that cannot access their preferred method of birth control.

We urge the Washington County JPs to vote against the pointless (there are currently no abortion providers in Washington County) “pro-life” resolution, and ask that they work to help pregnant and postpartum residents and their families access healthcare, education, and get their basic needs met, as well as provide support to the people and organizations in Northwest Arkansas already working on these urgent issues.