Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on South Korea

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on South Korea

Posted June 18, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Na Young

In this article, inroads member, Na Young, of the The Sexual and Reproductive Rights Forum and the Joint Action for Reproductive Justice in South Korea shares with us in detail what it took to generate a people’s movement to get rid of an anti-abortion law and the stigma-busting that is still ongoing.

1) How has abortion stigma shown up around the law historically in Korea?

Anti-abortion law was first made in Korea during the Japanese occupation. After Independence and the Korean War, the first assembly decided to keep the punishment clauses on abortion made by the Japanese government. According to this law, women who get an abortion can spend up to a year in prison or be fined up to 2 million won (about 1,850 dollars). Doctors, midwives and any healthcare workers who provide abortions can face up to two years in prison.

Continued: http://makeinroads.org/making-inroads/2019/June/addressing-stigma-while-moving-a-national-campaign-spotlight-on-south-korea

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Malaw

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Malawi

Posted June 4, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Andrew Mdala, Boniface Mbewe, Francis Makiya and Mackson Harawa

In this Spotlight, Mackson Harawa, Francis Makiya, Boniface Mbewe and Andrew Mdala, four inroads members, tell us more about the barriers or stigma that still need to be addressed in addition to fighting for legal reform in Malawi.

Although some liberal religious clerics and communities have given a nod to the need for a reform of the abortion law in Malawi, what are the many other socio-cultural obstacles that are yet to be combatted?

Boniface Mbewe (Chipembere Community Development Organization– CCDO): In Malawi there are still many socio-cultural obstacles hindering access to safe abortion services in health facilities. These obstacles include: condemnation emanating from cultural and religious beliefs as the person undergoing the abortion is perceived as sinner. For instance, some believe that abortion is an act carried out by non-believers, sex workers and promiscuous girls in the society; attitude, stigma and discrimination among health service providers towards the people seeking abortion or post-abortion care services also prevent women from seeking services; the legal implications associated with current laws around safe abortion do not necessitate the availability and accessibility of the services to those in need of them. The cost of abortion services and distance to get them (pre-and post-abortion services) are some of the challenge women are facing in Malawi.

Continued: http://makeinroads.org/making-inroads/2019/June/addressing-stigma-while-moving-a-national-campaign-spotlight-on-malawi

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Ireland

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Ireland

Posted May 28, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Linda Kavanagh and the Abortion Right's Campaign

The Abortion Rights Campaign (ARC), played a very key role in the Repealing of the 8th Amendment and continues to be a key voice in grassroots activism and higher level policy advocacy for free, safe and legal abortions in the Republic of Ireland. At the same time, global solidarity has always been important for participants of the campaign in Ireland, and, due to shared common beliefs, many ARC members are also members of inroads. In fact, Katie Gillum, the inroads Executive Director, began her activism for abortion rights and access while serving as Co-Convenor to the ARC. The ARC is unique in that it practices non-hierarchical organization at all moments and therefore intrigues us to learn more.

In this piece, Linda Kavanagh, member of inroads, and other members of the ARC in the Republic of Ireland tell us more about the realities of their activism for abortion rights right now.

What will it take to totally humanize and normalize abortions in Ireland even post the victory to Repeal the 8th Amendment?

At our 2018 March for Choice, post-referendum but before services had been implemented, we took to the streets in our thousands to say our work is not done. Our then co-convener Denise O’Toole declared to the crowd we are here for “abortion on demand and without apology!”.

Continued: http://makeinroads.org/making-inroads/2019/May/inroads-members-in-national-campaigns-talk-stigma-spotlight-on-ireland

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Argentina

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign: Spotlight on Argentina

Posted May 21, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Lola Guerra

In Argentina, recently there has been a great wave of activism for free, safe and legal abortion but we learn that the work for this process of what is called “social decriminalization” began generations ago. Lola Guerra, member of inroads, who is part of Catholics for the Right to Decide and the National Campaign for the Right to Legal, Safe and Free Abortion in Argentina tells us more about what activism is happening in Argentina.

How have generations of Argentine women worked to change the attitude in Argentina from people who previously never accepted green handkerchiefs, to a movement that increased so much that the green fabric in Argentina ran out?

In the national meetings of women that take place every year in our country in a different city and in which thousands of women are found, the national campaign for the right to safe, free and legal abortion arose. This is an intergenerational, intersectoral and national movement with the participation from all the provinces.

Continued: http://makeinroads.org/making-inroads/2019/May/members-in-national-campaigns-and-movements-series-spotlight-on-argentina

Addressing stigma while moving a national campaign – Spotlight on El Salvador

#OjosEnElSalvador #EyesOnElSalvador

Posted January 29, 2019
by inroads Comms, with Sara García Gross

As 2018 came to a close, the feminist and social movements of El Salvador had a great victory, one which inspired activists across the world. For years, ever since a 1998 penal code harshened laws even more to ban abortion under any circumstance, Salvadoran feminist activist groups have been fighting to end the criminalization and stigmatization of abortion in their country, which is one of 26 countries in the world where abortion is completely prohibited without exceptions. After years of sexual abuse from a family member, Imelda Cortez became pregnant, and then gave birth outside of the hospital. For this, she was accused of attempting an abortion and then jailed. There, she awaited trial under attempted murder charges for almost two years. This is not uncommon, and there are still 25 women in El Salvador who remain incarcerated for having pregnancy complications, appearing to have an abortion, and for circumstances related to reproductive health. But after a generation of strategizing and organizing; collective direct actions appealing to the Attorney General; and leveraging the call to #SalvemosAImelda in a wide reaching international campaign; organizers were able to achieve a hard fought victory for justice in December 2018. Imelda Cortez was free.

Continued: http://makeinroads.org/making-inroads/2019/January/ojosenelsalvador-eyesonelsalvador

29.01.2019

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abortion stigma

Agrupación Ciudadana por la Despenalización del Aborto

Colectiva Feminista

Imelda Cortez

Inroads

jailing women for abortion

Las 17

Red Salvadoreña de Defensoras de Derechos humanos

Ghana: Youth in Bukom sensitised on dangers of unsafe abortion

Youth in Bukom sensitised on dangers of unsafe abortion

Bukom Youtg
24 June 2017

Over 100 youth living in Israel, a fishing community located within Bukom, a suburb of Accra, has been vigorously sensitised on the dangers of illegal abortion under a project dubbed ‘Abortion 360’.

They were also advised to always adopt the practice of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) to stay out of danger.

Continued at source: Ghana Web: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/Youth-in-Bukom-sensitised-on-dangers-of-unsafe-abortion-552093

24.06.2017