Reproductive rights remain a controversial issue, not only in the United States, but in many countries around the world. Although formal laws address this issue at the federal and state levels, it would be shortsighted to view this conversation as occurring only within the hallways of government. In fact, perhaps no issue has galvanized more stakeholders in recent times than reproductive rights. Institutions, religious groups, grassroots organizations, women’s rights organizations, and international bodies such as the United Nations have weighed in on reproductive rights around the world. In short, there is perhaps no better issue to examine how external stakeholders can impact a social issue than the scope of reproductive rights and its short-term and long-term future.

Go to the Virtual Community to visit external stakeholders. You will identify a stakeholder and articulate a reproductive-rights policy position that the stakeholder is likely to assume. Explain why you believe that the stakeholder would assume that policy position. Consider possible alternatives to the policy position assumed by the stakeholder you identified.

Anderson, J. E. (2015). Public policymaking: An introduction (8th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

• Chapter 2, “The Policy-Makers and Their Environment” (pp. 73–77)

Guess, G. M., & Farnham, P. G. (2011). Cases in public policy analysis (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press.

• Chapter 5, “Pricing and Public Policy: The Case of Cigarette Taxes” (pp. 239–274)

Caron, D. J., & Giauque, D. (2006). Civil servant identity at the crossroads: New challenges for public administrations. The International Journal of Public Sector Management, 19(6), 543–555.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Marsh, T., Fischer, M., & Montondon, L. (2013). Government’s new normal: A changing role for auditors. The Journal of Government Financial Management, 62(3), 12–17.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Note: The following links help provide more information about the various stakeholders and their position on reproductive rights.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2013). The limits of conscientious refusal in reproductive medicine. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 385. Retrieved from http://www.acog.org/~/media/Committee%20Opinions/C…

An Act to Amend Title 16 of the Delaware Code Relating to Invasive Medical Procedure Facilities, Del. State Senate Bill 140. 147th Del. General Assembly (2013). Retrieved from http://www.legis.delaware.gov/BillDetail?legislati…

Center for Reproductive Rights. (n.d.). The world’s abortion laws 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2016, from http://worldabortionlaws.com/
Note: The Center for Reproductive Rights has produced the World's Abortion Laws map to visually compare the legal status of abortion across the globe. The interactive map is updated in real time to keep pace with changes in how countries are protecting—or denying—women's reproductive freedom.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Preventing pregnancies in younger teens. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/young-teen-pregnancy…

Guttmacher Institute. (n.d.). Resources: Abortion. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://www.guttmacher.org/sections/abortion.php

Johnston’s Archive. (2014). Historical abortion statistics, Delaware (USA). Retrieved from http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/us…

Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, H.R. 1797, 113th Cong. (2013). Retrieved from http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house…

Parental Notice of Abortion Act, 70 Del. Laws, c. 238, § 1. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://delcode.delaware.gov/title24/c017/sc08/inde…

Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Inc. (n.d.).Types of attacks. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/sta…

Saltzman, W. (2013, April 9). Delaware abortion clinic facing charges of unsafe and unsanitary conditions. WPVI-TV Philadelphia. Retrieved from http://6abc.com/archive/9059172/

Delaware Division of Public Health (n.d.). Reproductive health brochures. Retrieved from http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/chca/dphfpservic…

Vatican. (n.d.). Catechism of the Catholic Church. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/cate…