Each year, an estimated 20 million unsafe abortions occur worldwide. About 70,000 women, the vast majority of them in developing countries, die from the consequences of these abortions, and untold numbers suffer severe health effects. Even though abortion is legal in almost all countries to save a woman's life and in three-fifths of countries to protect her physical and mental health, safe abortion services are often not provided by public health systems or are of poor quality. The Global Gag Rule and other damaging U.S. foreign policies use opposition to abortion to deny funding to groups that are working to address the full range of women's reproductive health needs—but advocates for women worldwide are building alliances to focus attention on the women who suffer, and often lose their lives, as a result of these restrictive laws and policies. 

 

>> Click here for information resources on abortion.  

 

In collaboration with its partners around the world, the International Women's Health Coalition seeks to foster a better understanding of women's experiences of unwanted pregnancy and subsequent abortion, and to dispel myths, stigma, and misinformation. Dictated by women's realities and supported by the knowledge that restrictive abortion laws only serve to force the procedure underground and into the hands of unqualified practitioners, IWHC seeks to expand the availability and quality of safe abortion services as part of comprehensive reproductive health policies and programs around the world. 

 

IWHC supports a number of organizations and networks focusing attention on the public health crisis of unsafe abortion in their countries and regions, and working to expand access to safe services. For example:

• In Uruguay, with IWHC's support, Mujer y Salud (MYSU) fought for more than ten years to advocate for decriminalization of abortion. In October 2012, the Uruguayan Congress finally passed a bill that allows abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy, although it also imposes obstacles to access. IWHC and MYSU are now working to follow implementation of the law and ensure that safe abortion is in fact accessible in Uruguay.
• In Peru, IWHC is supporting the Dejala Decidir ("Let Her Decide") campaign to decriminalize abortion in cases of rape. The campaign is led by several long-time IWHC partners, including PROMSEX, Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, Manuela Ramos, CLADEM-Peru, and Flora Tristán. 
• In Brazil, IWHC supported ANIS (the Institute of Human Rights, Bioethics, and Gender) to pursue advocacy and strategic litigation to decriminalize abortion in cases of anencephaly. In April 2012, the Supreme Court ruled to legalize abortion in such cases.  
• In Indonesia, IWHC supported the Women's Health Foundation (YKP) to educate national political leaders and decision makers about the importance of a health law that guarantees women access to reproductive health services, including safe abortion. 
• In India, IWHC is supporting CommonHealth (the Coalition for Maternal-Neonatal Health and Safe Abortion) to train, mentor, and mobilize advocates for maternal and neonatal health, including access to safe abortion.