Fellowship opens door to comprehensive abortion access coverage in U.S., France

Lara Salahi
December 2, 2024

Ariel Cohen, a health policy reporter for CQ Roll Call, recently completed a comprehensive series of six stories examining abortion care policies in the United States and France. This in-depth reporting project, made possible through AHCJ’s International Health Study Fellowship, allowed Cohen to spend two weeks in France, comparing and contrasting the abortion policies and practices of both nations.

Her work comes at a critical time, as the U.S. grapples with the aftermath of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, while France moves to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution.

Continued: https://healthjournalism.org/blog/2024/12/fellowship-opens-door-to-comprehensive-abortion-access-coverage-in-u-s-france/

02.12.2024

Interviews/Podcasts

Ariel Cohen

Association of Health Care Journalists

CQ Roll Call

International Health Study Fellowship

Australia – Abortion law reform—And the fight for access

Program: Rear Vision - ABC Radio National
Annabelle Quince
Nov 16, 2024
Podcast: 29 minutes

For over a century having or performing an abortion was a crime across Australia – but over the past decade it’s been decriminalised every state and territory. Yet despite being legal - access to an abortion is not equally available to all women. The story of abortion reform in Australia and the fight for access.

Continued: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/rearvision/abortion-law-reform-and-the-fight-for-access/104453248

16.11.2024

Interviews/Podcasts

abortion law reform

Annabelle Quince

decriminalisation of abortion

Why the American abortion debate is affecting access in Kenya

Oct 31, 2024
By Neha Wadekar, Joe Mwihia, Job Wander, Associated Press
Video: 8:42 minutes (with transcript)

Abortion is a closely watched issue in this year's election, and not just in the U.S. As president, Trump cut funding for international groups that offer and counsel on abortion services. With support from The Pulitzer Center, special correspondent Neha Wadekar reports from Kenya where advocates are watching for who wins. A warning, this story contains accounts of sexual and gender-based violence.

Continued: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-the-american-abortion-debate-is-affecting-access-in-kenya

Abortion Access for U.S. Immigrants

A reproductive epidemiologist explores the barriers and gateways to abortion access for U.S. immigrants

by Vida Foubister
October 28, 2024

During and for two hours immediately following the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in September, abortion was the most searched topic online, according to an analysis by New York University researchers. Not surprisingly, immigration came in second.

As Heidi E. Jones, a reproductive epidemiologist, and her co-authors noted in a recent Journal of Migration and Health article titled "Abortion Care Access and Experience Among U.S. Immigrants: A Systematic Review," "The geopolitical intersection between immigration and abortion policy makes this a particularly salient issue." With the election only weeks away, Think Global Health reached out to Jones to discuss the findings of her study and strategies she believes can help ensure greater abortion access among immigrant populations.

Continued: https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/abortion-access-us-immigrants

28.10.2024

immigrants and abortion

USA – A leading abortion provider on why restrictive laws are taking us back to the Dark Ages

For 60 years, Dr. Warren Hern has been a leader on abortion care. Here's what drives him

By Nicole Karlis
October 13, 2024

Throughout this election cycle, the term “late-term abortion” has popped up several times, despite not being an actual medical term. Not only did the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump include a very misinformed discussion about “late-term abortions” before Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, but the Republican Party adopted a “Make America Great Again” policy platform ahead of its national convention, stating in a 16-page document that the party will oppose "late-term abortion.”

Continued: https://www.salon.com/2024/10/13/a-leading-abortion-provider-on-why-restrictive-laws-are-taking-us-back-to-the-dark-ages/

Jessica Valenti Says Her Work on Abortion Isn’t “Preaching to the Choir.” It’s Arming It.

In an interview with Vanity Fair about her new book, Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win, Valenti discusses whom she’s writing to, how the right is forecasting its next move, and why she’s never bought into the mainstream framing of abortion rights.

By Katie Herchenroeder, Vanity Fair
October 1, 2024

Jessica Valenti writes and talks about abortion like someone who thinks about it for dozens of hours every week—because she does.

For around two years—since the fall of Roe—Valenti has been writing about reproductive justice every day in her newsletter, aptly titled Abortion, Every Day. But, in her new book, Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win, she jokes that she could have called the newsletter Abortion, Every Hour, because “that’s how quickly things are moving in post-Roe America.”

Continued: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/jessica-valenti-says-her-work-on-abortion-isnt-preaching-to-the-choir-its-arming-it

01.10.2024

Kenya – Evelyne Opondo is championing change

Sunday, September 08, 2024
By Wanja Mbuthia, Nation Media Group

Talking with the soft-spoken Evelyne Opondo feels like chatting with a big sister in many ways. She’s warm and laughs easily. She is a great listener too, who thinks through every question before answering and projects an air of a trustworthy and dependable person. A lawyer, Ms Opondo is the Africa Director at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), where she leads the organisation’s strategies and mission in Africa. Seated at an eatery in Nairobi’s Kileleshwa area, she reflects on the challenges, accomplishments, and lessons she has gathered from over two decades of advocating for the rights of women and girls.

Continued: https://nation.africa/kenya/life-and-style/evelyne-opondo-is-championing-change--4752200

08.09.2024

Commentary

Interviews/Podcasts

Centre for Reproductive Rights

Evelyne Opondo

International Center for Research on Women

Only 1 in 3 people know that abortion is legal in India

Despite abortion being legal in India for the last 50 years, awareness about legality, safety and availability of abortion is quite low, Dr Vinoj Manning told Financial Express.com.

Written by Sushmita Panda
September 8, 2024

Abortion is legal in India, however, its landscape is complex in the country. India’s abortion rate, at 47 per 1000 women aged 15-44 is higher than the global average of 39, according to the 2018 Lancet Global Health report.

On International Safe Abortion Day on 28 September 2022, the Supreme Court of India extended the right to legal abortion to 20 weeks’ gestation for all women and to 24 weeks’ gestation under special circumstances. However, access and awareness of abortion rights continue to be a challenge.

Continued: https://www.financialexpress.com/business/healthcare-only-1-in-3-people-know-that-abortion-is-legal-in-india-vinoj-manning-ceo-ipas-development-foundation-3604710/

08.09.2024

Interviews/Podcasts

28 September

abortion stigma

International Safe Abortion Day

Ipas Development Foundation

lack of information

public support for abortion

A legacy of leadership and advocacy: Dr Dorothy Shaw’s vision for achieving respectful care for women globally

FIGO
Sept 6, 2024 (published Aug 31)

Dr Dorothy Shaw was the first female President of FIGO (2006-2009). She is a Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia's Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and has dedicated her career to social and reproductive justice.

Specialising in high-risk pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis and medical genetics, Dr Shaw has held numerous leadership roles, significantly advancing women's health globally. In this interview, she discusses her journey with FIGO, the challenges in women's healthcare and her hopes for the future.

What led you to volunteer for FIGO initially?
I was invited to participate in a panel of women in our specialty at one of the FIGO congresses…

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/legacy-leadership-and-advocacy-dr-dorothy-shaws-vision-achieving-respectful-care-women

Young advocates are ‘a formidable force’ for abortion access globally

August 6, 2024
IPAS

Working for a world where every person has abortion access is a longstanding passion for David Imago-Jácome. An accomplished advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), adolescent wellbeing and youth participation, he currently serves as the director of YIELD Hub, which works to empower young people and promote their SRHR.

On July 1, Imbago-Jácome became a member of the Ipas Board of Directors—a full-circle moment, as he first collaborated with Ipas as a young medical student in Ecuador on reproductive rights advocacy trainings for himself and his fellow students. He went on to work as a medical doctor and began the advocacy work that he continues today.

Here he shares how he began his journey as a young advocate and what inspires him most about the next generation.

Continued: https://www.ipas.org/news/young-advocates-are-a-formidable-force-for-abortion-access-globally/

06.08.2024