2. HISTORY: THE DAY/THE NAME
28 September has been an international day of action on
abortion since 1990, chosen by a feminist conference in
Latin America because in Brazil it was the Day of the Free
Womb in the 19th century to commemorate freeing of the
children of slave mothers from slavery.
Name: Día International de Acción por la Despenalización
del Aborto /International Day of Action for
Decriminalization of Abortion
In 2011, it was internationalised by WGNRR, who renamed
it as Global Day of Action for Safe and Legal Abortion.
In 2015, in an attempt to have one simple, agreed name,
the International Campaign agreed to change the name to
International Safe Abortion Day.
Now there are 3 names!
4. PRIORITY ISSUES 2016: ABORTION IS NOT A CRIME!
Abortion out of the criminal law!
A moratorium on prosecutions!
Release all prisoners!
Universal access to safe abortion!
5. TYPES OF ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED
Information leaflets, infographics, reports, news articles,
interviews, statements, press releases, blogs
Questions/debate in parliament
Awareness-raising campaigns, media sensitisation days
Marches, rallies, demonstrations, solidarity events
Public meetings, debates, discussion days, live chat
Street theatre, flashmobs, posters, T-shirts
Art exhibitions, many videos, music/poetry evenings
Calls for law reform, clarification and implementation of the
law, write national guidelines
Proposals for increased access to methods and services, and
training of new providers, e.g. FP nurses, midwives, GPs.
Tweet-a-thons, other social media activities, personal stories
Solidarity actions – esp for Ireland and Poland this year
Petitions, surveys, research, expert committees, coalitions
6. COUNTRIES WITH ACTIVITIES… 55 so far
AFRICA ‒ Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ghana,
Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania,
Uganda, Zimbabwe (13)
ASIA/PACIFIC ‒ Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India,
Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand
(10)
EUROPE ‒ Armenia, Croatia, France, Ireland, Macedonia,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, UK
(13)
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN ‒ Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guate-mala,
Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay (16)
MIDDLE EAST – Egypt (1)
NORTH AMERICA ‒ Canada, USA (2)
7. INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL NGOs/NETWORKS
African Network for Medical Abortion
Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP)
Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW)
ASTRA SRHR Network Eastern and Central Europe
Catholics for Choice / Catholics for Right to Decide
(CLACAI) Latin America Campaign against Unsafe Abortion
International Planned Parenthood Federation
Ipas
Latin American Network against Unsafe Abortion (CLACAI)
Latin American Network of Católicas por el Derecho de Decider
Sexual Rights Initiative
Women Help Women
Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights
International Campaign for Women's Right to Safe Abortion
8. NEW IN 2015-16
The participation of representatives of 3 government
ministries, along with NGOs, health professionals, etc:
DR Congo / Nepal / France
The Ministry of Women in Venezuela published a statement
in 2016.
In DR Congo, last year a representative from the Ministry
of Public Health joined the NGO event.
In 2016, 120 representatives from the Ministries of
Women/Families/Children; Social Affairs; Public Health;
Scientific Research; Justice; Youth plus representatives
from the Parliament, 10 civil society organisations,
National Youth Council, Doctors Association, Midwives
Association, university students committees, UN agencies,
a lot of media and others attended a full day event.
9. NEW IN 2016
Statement by 3 UN OHCHR Human Rights Experts –
Working Group Discrimination ag Women in Law/Practice,
Special Rapporteurs on Health & Torture
“Unsafe abortion is still killing tens of thousands women around
the world” – UN rights experts warn English/Español/Français
Statement by Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Women
in Africa, Justice Lucy Asuagbor
http://www.achpr.org/news/2016/09/d238/
10. We call on you… to make a simple but highly symbolic statement of
support for safe abortion, by agreeing to make International Safe
Abortion Day, 28 September, an official UN day.
