As part of FIGO’s ongoing commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive rights, the FIGO Committee on Safe Abortion would like to commend and highlight the exemplary work of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG), which has recently issued guidance for healthcare professionals on involving the police following abortion and pregnancy loss.

In this FIGO Long Read, we look back at the global solidarity event that took place at Paris City Hall on 11 October 2023 to claim access and defend the right to abortion care.  

(Image above from left to right - Alice Ackermann, Justyna Wydrzyńska, Dr Simon Peter Kayondo, Dephine O, Cecile Wendnonga Thiombiano/ Yougbaré, Dr Guillermo Ortiz)

Dr Laura Gil, Chair of FIGO Committee on Safe Abortion, was one of our keynote speakers at the FIGO World Congress 2023. She talks to us about the urgency to improve access to safe abortion globally and her deep commitment to end the preventable pandemic of unsafe abortions.  

Alongside other healthcare organisations, FIGO worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Special Programme of Research in Human Reproduction (HRP) to introduce a groundbreaking abortion care app.

FIGO celebrates World Contraception Day 2023 announcing the winners of the Contraception Reimagined Challenge 

Led by FIGO's Committee on Contraception, the Contraception Reimagined Challenge invited visionary minds from FIGO's membership societies to reimagine the language used in conversations about contraception.  

After careful consideration of all the submissions received, the selection committee are delighted to announce that the winning entries are:  

On 28 September, we join forces with activists and partner organisations worldwide to mark International Safe Abortion Day. The theme for this year is Unstoppable Movement: Movement building, solidarity, and justice for the right to safe abortion 

Abortion is a crucial part of universal health coverage and a time-sensitive procedure. The slightest delay can have severe repercussions on the health and well-being of women and girls.  

Every year, 35 million women use risky and less safe methods to terminate their pregnancies, and gynaecologists, obstetricians and other health care professionals around the world witness first-hand the consequences of these practices daily.  

Increasing access to safe abortion reduces maternal mortality and disability. However, currently, 45% of all abortions globally are unsafe and are a catastrophic public health problem, accounting for up to 13% of preventable maternal deaths worldwide and causing hundreds of thousands of survivors to live with preventable long-term complications.

Dr Anne Beatrice Kihara is FIGO’s current President-Elect, set to become the first African woman to be FIGO President from October 2023. Since 2021, Dr Kihara has been the President of the African Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.  

What have been the key achievements of the Maputo Protocol? 

While abortion remains a stigmatised health care matter, progress has definitely been made with the adoption of the Maputo Protocol on several issues related to gender equality and gender rights.