South Africa: Open Letter – It Takes More Than a March to Remedy Systemic Challenges to Abortion Access

4 MARCH 2022
By Sibusisiwe Ndlela, Khanyisa Mapipa and Thokozile Mtsolongo

The below is an open letter addressed to South Africa's Deputy Minister of Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo written by Sibusiwe Ndlela, Khanyisa Mapipa and Thokozile Mtsolongo, all of public interest law centre SECTION27.

Dear Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo
Your "Anti-Unsafe Termination of Pregnancy" march held on 17 February 2022 in Rustenburg, North West refers.

A march, in and of itself, cannot eliminate barriers that prevent women and girls from accessing safe abortions in the public health system. This is why we see this march, led by someone who has the power to eliminate many of those barriers, as a disingenuous attempt by the Department of Health to cover its failure to make meaningful steps towards the realisation of women's and girls' right to abortion.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202203050113.html


Big Acts, little access: The disconnection between SA’s abortion policies and women’s lived realities

Boitumelo Masipa And Thembi Mahlathi
28 Sep 2021

South Africa’s Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act is said to be possibly the most progressive abortion policy in the world, giving women and young girls the freedom to realise their right to reproductive health – at least that’s the aim.

In Africa, only two other countries have legalised abortion without restriction, Tunisia and Cape Verde. However, despite its liberal abortion policies, the reality in South Africa is that accessing reproductive health services, including abortion, is extremely difficult for many women and girls.

Continued: https://www.news24.com/citypress/Voices/voices-big-acts-little-access-the-disconnection-between-sas-abortion-policies-and-womens-lived-realities-20210928


South Africa: Abortion – the legal service performed mostly illegally

Abortion – the legal service performed mostly illegally

HEALTH-E NEWS South Africa
29 Jan 2018

Healthworkers who refuse to help women who want abortions are driving them into the arms of illegal abortionists who perform more than half of the country’s procedures. But activists believe it is time to stop stigmatising this service. GILL GIFFORD reports for HEALTH-E NEWS.

“I did not used to agree with abortion, but I changed my view. It took the death of a close friend and colleague who had procured an abortion. I promised I would meet her in theatre. She collapsed 30 minutes before. Her womb was rotten. I operated on her and found massive infection. Her insides were full of pus. She was in ICU, and I prayed for her. She died after 10 days and her mother had to take in her four-year old son.”

Continued: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-01-29-health-e-news-abortion-the-legal-service-performed-mostly-illegally/