Benin’s Parliament passed a new legal amendment to the Sexual Health and Reproduction (SRH) 2003 Law on Wednesday 20 October 2021, which is a much-needed step to address preventable maternal deaths and disability suffered by women, girls and their families due to unsafe abortion. 

Access to safe abortion is time-sensitive essential health care. It is included in numerous international, regional and national legally binding treaties – providing access to safe abortion is imperative for women and girls to achieve their human and reproductive rights.

Using music to raise awareness of the right to safe abortion

Art, in general, and music, in particular, can – and should – contribute to the fight against maternal and child mortality. Yolanda Kakana and Sistah Áfrika wrote the song “Dura Realidade” (Hard Reality), which tells the story of a girl who intends to end an unwanted pregnancy, to raise awareness of this issue in Mozambique.

Recent victories that have improved the legal grounds for abortion in Argentina and Ireland have subsequently demonstrated that although it is critical to fight for legislative change, the availability of safe abortion services must also be addressed, if the right to safe abortion care is to be fully realised. Without this, abortion laws risk becoming a charade in the lives of women, girls and pregnant people who require access to abortion services.

Argentina’s abortion law is a ground-breaking step in eliminating discrimination against women and girls, and in addressing the scale of unsafe abortion – a public health crisis in Argentina. It is estimated that 500,000 abortions occur every year in Argentina, representing 40% of all pregnancies. Annually, unsafe abortion accounts for 18% of pregnancy-related deaths and more than 50,000 preventable hospitalisations in Argentina.

Ahead of World Population Day 2021, FIGO HQ spoke with Jill Sheffield, Chair of FIGO’s Committee on Contraception and Family Planning, about the implications of the pandemic for the fulfilment of women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights. We also discussed the need for interventions to ensure the continuation of family planning services during and after the pandemic.

OBGYNs and midwives are part of an essential ecosystem of health workers that provide crucial health care in delivering women and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally. In lower-middle-income countries where health care facilities outside of capitals can be few and dispersed, midwives in particular are counted on to ensure that women, girls, and newborns receive appropriate care, support and counselling.

In Panama, the fundamental and basic rights of women and girls – such as education, work and political participation – continue to be violated. These violations extend to rights in sexual and reproductive health, which should allow women and girls to access services such as prenatal control, contraception and, in specific cases and as permitted by Panamanian law, safe and legal abortion services.

The global gag rule, first instituted in 1984, prohibits non-US organisations from receiving US global health assistance if they provide, counsel, refer or advocate for legal abortion services in their own country, even if these activities are protected by local law and supported solely with non-US funds.

While President Joe Biden rescinded the rule on 28 January 2021, the prospect of reinstatement under future administrations casts a long shadow and leaves the health and lives of millions of people vulnerable to the whims of future US presidents.