Raising our Voices: Global Campaigning for SRHR

WGNRR mobilised its members, partners, allies, governments, private sector, communities, men and boys, and the entire SRHR movement to take action during September 28 is International Safe Abortion Day.

The theme for this year's campaign is Abortion is Healthcare. Access to safe abortion is an essential part of women’s lives and health, and right to bodily autonomy. Unintended and unwanted pregnancy and abortion are part of women’s lives: 25% of all pregnancies worldwide ended in an induced abortion,4.7-13.2% of maternal deaths are attributable to unsafe abortion, most in the poorest countries 25 million abortions each year are unsafe, and 7 million women and girls end up in hospital needing treatment for complications of unsafe abortions. With 25 million unsafe abortions every year globally, and thousands of women and girls dying making unsafe abortion a serious public health problem, 25 years after the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action committed governments to making unsafe abortion a history.

In Tanzania, WGNRR Africa held a stakeholders meeting for reduction of maternal mortality and morbidity in the. country.  The event provided a platform for stakeholders to increase understanding and reflect about the toll of unsafe abortion, explored the commitment towards achieving the SDGs #3, exchange ideas, share best practices overcoming challenges contributing to maternal mortality and morbidity in Tanzania, formulate recommendations for effective and comprehensive strategy to reduce MMR.

In Manila, Philippines, WGNRR, Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network - Pinsan, Sigma Delta Pi Sorority UP Manila, UP Manila CAS Student Council and SheDecides Philippines event faced with a challenge when the public forum on abortion has been postponed due to the sudden cancellation of the use of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Science Hall. WGNRR and its partners were saddened that the public event did not push through during the day of action, as it would have provided an opportunity to highlight the public health issues related to unsafe abortions in observance of the Global Day of Action on #28September (International Safe Abortion Day). It would have also provided a safe space for all stakeholders to have an open dialogue on the different personal and institutional views, opinions, religious and moral beliefs, biases, and prejudices towards abortion in the country. Despite the setback, WGNRR and partners were still able to continue the conversation around abortion in the context of women's rights, reproductive rights, human rights, and public health with our partners, young people, and advocates in UPM.

About September 28

September 28 is International Safe Abortion Day is part of campaigning and advocacy activities undertaken to build an international movement for universal access to safe and legal abortion, from a human rights and reproductive justice approach. 28 September has been a regional campaign for the decriminalization of abortion in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean since 1990, and in 2011 SRHR activists from all over the world has taken on 28 September as a Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. In 2018, Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights, International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion, Campaña 28 de Septiembre LAC (Campaña Nacional por el Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito-Argentina), Asia Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), and Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP), with the support of many other partners, jointly launched International Safe Abortion Day as the official day for 28 September campaigning activities.

For more information, visit www.september28.org