Abortions are legal in much of Africa. But few women may be aware, and providers don’t advertise it

By Maria Cheng And Misper Apawu, The Associated Press
Tuesday, April 2, 2024

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — When Efua, a 25-year-old fashion designer and single mother in Ghana, became pregnant last year, she sought an abortion at a health clinic but worried the procedure might be illegal. Health workers assured her abortions were lawful under certain conditions in the West African country, but Efua said she was still nervous.

“I had lots of questions, just to be sure I would be safe,” Efua told the Associated Press, on condition that only her middle name be used, for fear of reprisals from the growing anti-abortion movement in her country.

Continued: https://www.thestar.com/news/world/africa/abortions-are-legal-in-much-of-africa-but-few-women-may-be-aware-and-providers/article_24b7ad8d-aa20-5134-aa5f-a381fc7ea56c.html

U.S. Supreme Court leak stirs abortion passions in Africa

By Andrew Cawthorne

May 31 (Reuters) - When a desperate and bleeding 17-year-old girl walked into his rural health centre, Kenyan medic Ismail Mohammed Salim thought he was doing the right thing by helping her conclude an unwanted and dangerous pregnancy.

Days later, both were in jail.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-supreme-court-leak-stirs-abortion-passions-africa-2022-05-31/

31.05.2022

Featured

News

Center for Reproductive Rights

Evelyne Opondo

Global Gag Rule

Ismail Mohammed Salim

Kathy Kageni-Oganga

maternal mortality

Roe v. Wade

World Health Organization

What happens when abortion is banned? Lessons from around the world

As the U.S. Supreme Court looks set to overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling that established the right to abortion, campaigners for abortion access from Africa to Latin America say the move could have devastating consequences

by Nita Bhalla and Anastasia Moloney, Thomson Reuters Foundation
Monday, 30 May 2022

NAIROBI/BOGOTA - As soon as Kenyan housewife Ann found out she was pregnant in September last year, she knew having the child was out of the question.

For years, the 27-year-old had been a victim of domestic violence: her husband beat her routinely, denied her money to feed their three children, and had sexual relationships with other women.

Continued: https://news.trust.org/item/20220530084414-0ps54

Hope for access to abortion in Kenya

A landmark court case could help activists seeking to revise Kenya's reproductive health policy.

Munyaradzi Makoni

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)00693-6
WORLD REPORT| VOLUME 399, ISSUE 10334, P1456, APRIL 16, 2022.

The roll-out of a policy to promote and improve the reproductive health of
Kenyans has been suspended following protests from activists calling for
protection for patients who seek abortion services and the medical personnel
who provide them. On April 6, the Ministry of Health said that a new draft of
Kenya's Reproductive Health Policy 2022–32, which did not make any provision
for abortion, will be produced within 45 days, with civil society given an
opportunity to propose changes.

The decision follows a ruling on March 25 by Reuben Nyakundi, a High Court
judge in Malindi, who declared abortion-related arrests and prosecution
illegal, concluding that abortion care is a fundamental right under the
Constitution of Kenya, adding that protecting access to abortion affects vital
constitutional values, including dignity, autonomy, equality, and bodily
integrity. Although the Constitution allows it, Kenya's 1963 Penal Code still
criminalises all abortion care.

Continued: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00693-6/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email

Kenya: Court Declares Abortion-Related Arrests, Prosecutions Illegal

26 MARCH 2022
By Jemimah Mueni

Malindi — The High Court in Malindi has declared abortion related arrests and prosecution illegal.

The landmark ruling made on Friday now protects patients seeking abortion services as well as healthcare providers offering the services.

While making the ruling, the court noted that abortion care is a fundamental right under the Constitution of Kenya and that protecting access to abortion impacts vital Constitutional values, including dignity, autonomy, equality, and bodily integrity.

Continued: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2022/03/court-declares-abortion-related-arrests-prosecutions-illegal/

26.03.2022

Center for Reproductive Rights

Evelyne Opondo

Malindi High Court

prosecuting doctors for abortion

Kenya – Implement Constitution to end preventable maternal deaths

By Evelyne Opondo
September 6th 2021

On August 27, the country marked 11 years since the promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, a supreme order that ushered the promise of reproductive rights autonomy, including abortion care. Unfortunately, women and girls of reproductive age continue to grapple with challenges when accessing essential health services. They face harassment, arbitrary arrests, prosecution and even encounter healthcare providers reluctant to offer services.

These challenges are exacerbated by the government’s lackadaisical approach to bringing sections of the Penal Code, such as the blanket ban on abortion services, into alignment with the Constitution. The ambiguity has compelled licensed healthcare practitioners to shy away from providing abortion and post-abortion care to women and girls, even in emergency situations, for fear of criminal sanctions, despite being allowed by the law.

Continued: https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/opinion/article/2001422768/implement-constitution-to-end-preventable-maternal-deaths

Safe abortions will save our future

March 1, 2021
By Alvin Mwangi

Every year almost half of all pregnancies – 121 million – are unintended. This is according to the World Health Organization report that was released in September last year.

Between 2015 and 2019, on average, 73.3 million induced (safe and unsafe) abortions occurred worldwide each year.

Continued: https://citizentv.co.ke/blogs/opinion-safe-abortions-will-save-our-future-7442434/

01.03.2021

Featured

Opinion

Alvin Mwangi

Centre for Reproductive Rights

Evelyne Opondo

Kenya abortion guidelines

She Decides Day

World Health Organization

Gagged No More: Joe Biden rescinds Mexico City Policy, boosting global women’s empowerment movement

January 30, 2021
Rudroneel Ghosh

In a landmark move, US President Joe Biden signed an executive memorandum to immediately rescind the Mexico City Policy – also known as the global gag rule – that barred international non-profits from receiving US funding if they provide abortion counselling or referrals. It will be recalled that the Mexico City Policy has been around for decades, being first implemented in 1985 during the second Reagan administration. Since then it has been implemented during all Republican administrations and rescinded during all Democratic administrations. Therefore, while it was rescinded during the Obama administration, it was brought back in the Trump administration.

But under Trump the policy was expanded further to ban all US health funding to even those foreign NGOs that in turn fund other groups that support abortion services.

Continued: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/talkingturkey/gagged-no-more-joe-biden-rescinds-mexico-city-policy-boosting-global-womens-empowerment-movement/

Biden to end Trump-era anti-abortion “global gag rule”

JANUARY 21, 2021
By Emma Batha

(Thomson Reuters Foundation) - President Joe Biden’s decision to scrap a “deadly” Trump-era policy banning funding for aid groups that discuss abortion could unleash billions in dollars for life-saving services in developing countries, women’s rights groups said on Thursday.

“It’s very, very good news. It sends a strong message that reproductive rights are human rights,” said Evelyne Opondo, Africa director at the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Continued: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-aid-women-abortion/biden-to-end-trump-era-anti-abortion-global-gag-rule-idUSKBN29Q2UF

Kenya condemns women to ‘death by unsafe abortion’, campaigners warn

September 5, 2020, Thomson Reuters Foundation
By Nita Bhalla

NAIROBI: Thousands of women are dying every year in Kenya due to botched backstreet abortions, campaigners have warned, 10 years after the introduction of safeguards to abortion access when a woman’s life is in danger.

Kenya’s 2010 constitution broadened access to abortion, permitting it when a woman’s life is at risk or in case of an emergency, and guaranteeing the right to life and reproductive health services.

Continued: https://www.thedispatch.in/kenya-condemns-women-to-death-by-unsafe-abortion-campaigners-warn/