Call to Action: International Safe Abortion Day

4th Call to Action: 28 August 2019

28 September is the annual day of action in support of the right to safe abortion.

What do we want? Safe abortion. When do we want it? Now!!

Last month we said: if you look at the agendas of the conferences on Universal Health Coverage, Sustainable Development, and Population and Development, you will probably see that the words “safe abortion” are absent. This is thanks to misogynistic leaders who are opposed to gender equality and human rights, not to mention safe abortion. Why have an international meeting if certain leaders are going to sabotage the agenda and attempt to turn back the clock against majority opinion. What can we do?

We urge you to call on your national leaders to make a commitment at home and from the floor of the three conferences to support universal access to safe abortion as life-saving healthcare for anyone with an unwanted pregnancy. This call will be made also in the document Reviewing and achieving the ICPD Programme of Action – UNECE Regional Voice, which will soon be posted on the www.CSOPartnersforChange.org website. It will contain the key messages and comments that can be used to encourage Governments to submit Commitments from their countries during ICPD in November. The UNECE recommendations may differ from those of other regions but are nonetheless relevant to the full implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, and can be adapted for other regions.

TO supporters of abortion rights: Take action on 28 September!

Organise a festival, forum, meeting, workshop/training, cultural event. Post stories of abortion care providers on your website or social media. Organise an “Abortion is Healthcare” walk, run or (for the really ambitious) a marathon!

Use every possible platform to spread the word: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogs, print and digital media platforms, statements & press releases, podcasts, videos, webinars, posters, banners and infographics.

Tweet-a-thon – 27 September 2019

A tweet-a-thon is a “storm” of tweets. Using the theme, hashtag and tagline above, send out tweets relevant to your local and national situation, and/or use the sample tweets below. Then check out tweets from others you know and retweet their tweets. Sample tweets:

Abortion is part of women’s lives!  

Safe abortion is necessary for gender equality!

Abortion with pills is now on the WHO Essential Medicines List!

25% of all pregnancies end in an induced abortion!

Globally, 25 million abortions each year are unsafe!

When access to safe abortion is universal, unsafe abortions will become history.

Abortion is Healthcare!!! #MyAbortionMyHealth!!!  My Right to Decide!!!