SALI aims to mitigate Liberia’s 38,000 illegal abortion

Unsafe abortion is among top causes of maternal illnesses and deaths and the treatment of abortion complications drains resources of health systems.

Lincoln G. Peters
March 20, 2024

A record number of more than 38,000 illegal abortions has been recorded to have taken place in Liberia.

The figure is found in a joint study on abortion incidences in Liberia conducted by the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the African Population and Health Research Center, and the Guttmacher Institute.

Continued; https://thenewdawnliberia.com/sali-aims-to-mitigate-liberias-38000-illegal-abortion/

20.03.2024

News

African Population and Health Research Center

Clinton Health Access Initiative

Liberia – Unsafe abortion threatens women’s health

--As CSOs seek a joint alliance to target the menace

New Dawn
February 19, 2024

A 2023 report released by the Ministry of Health revealed that about 38,779 induced abortions took place in Liberia in 2021. The Ministry released the report in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), and Guttmacher.

This translates to an induced abortion rate of 30.7 per 1,000 women of reproductive age and an induced abortion ratio of 229 abortions per 1,000 live births.

Continued: https://thenewdawnliberia.com/unsafe-abortion-threatens-womens-health/

19.02.2024

News

African Population and Health Research Center

Clinton Health Access Initiative

Liberia: Abortion Care Is Health Care

Nov 30, 2023
By Siatta Scott Johnson

In Liberia, 16% of all pregnancies end in abortion, according to a recent study conducted in Liberia between October 2021 and March 2022 by the Ministry of Health and its partners, Clinton Health Access Initiative, the African Population and Health Research Center, and the Guttmacher Institute. It revealed that the national abortion incidence for the year 2021 was 38,779.

The revised Public Healthcare Law that will ensure the improvement in the lives of every Liberian, the protection of rights to choose and make informed decisions on their healthcare, and access to quality and gender response delivery, is being discussed in the Liberian Senate.

Continued: https://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-abortion-care-health-care

Liberia: West Point Women Sensitized Girls on Unsafe Abortion, FGM

10/18/2023
DAVID A. YATES

The West Point Women for Health and Development Organization (WPWHDO) has sensitized young women and girls about unsafe abortion and the harmful practices of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the country.

Unsafe abortion is a major contributor to Liberia’s “very high rate of maternal mortality,” according to a 2020 report by the World Health Organization. It was one of just eight African countries that ranked that high.

Continued: https://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-west-point-women-sensitized-girls-unsafe-abortion-fgm

18.10.2023

News

female genital mutilation

International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion

maternal mortality

Nelly S. Cooper

West Point Women for Health and Development Organization

Liberia’s New Health Law Among Most Liberal in Africa for Abortion

--- But faces hurdle in Senate

Sep 1, 2023
TINA S. MEHNPAINE

When Teta graduated from high school in 2015, she had big plans: attend college and become a medical doctor. But when the then-17-year-old discovered she was pregnant, that bright future was cast into doubt.

The father of the unborn child, her boyfriend of four years, denied the baby was his. Afraid of the shame and disgrace that would come with being an unwed teenage mother, Teta sought an abortion.

“I was scared and confused,” said Teta. “I had no plans of becoming a mother at age seventeen, my family and everybody looked up to me.”

Continued: https://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-liberias-new-health-law-among-most-liberal-africa-abortion

Liberia: Should Liberia Legalize Abortion?

Published at: 08/25/2023
ARTICLE BY STAFF EDITOR

Two prominent health experts have called upon the Senate to align with the House in legalizing abortion, but it should do so within the first trimester of pregnancy, setting the cut-off point at 12 weeks gestation.

The experts --- Tolbert Nyenswah and Mardia Stone -- argued that the legal change would reduce the chances of complications that might arise from unsafe, backdoor procedures. They, however, noted the changes should be at 12 weeks and not the 18 weeks proposed by the House --- as the former significantly reduces the risks associated with abortion compared to the former.

Continued: http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-should-liberia-legalize-abortion

25.08.2023

Liberia: Senate Pro-Tempore Chie Clarifies Abortion Bill

23 AUGUST 2023
The New Dawn (Monrovia)
By Ethel A. Tweh And Jonathan Browne

Senate Pro-tempore Albert Chie has clarified here that there is no stand-alone bill on abortion before the Liberian Senate contrary to public perceptions.

Delivering his opening statement Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at the return of the 54th Legislature to a special session, Senator Chie pointed out that rather, there is only a new chapter in the new Public Health Bill on sexual and reproductive health.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202308230133.html

23.08.2023

Liberia: Swedish Embassy Denies Bribing Liberian Senators to Legalize Abortion

08/22/2023
TINA S. MEHNPAINE

The Swedish Embassy is denying that it bribed Liberian senators to pass an amendment to the country’s public health law that would legalize abortion, which remains prohibited except in extreme cases.

The Swedish denial comes as it remains one of the leading donors to Amplifying Rights Network, a pro-abortion group, that is spearheading the campaign for the legalization of abortion in Liberia.

The group, whose push led to the issue of abortion being included in the revised public health law, which Senators are about to vote on as they return from their two-week break, argued that the country’s restrictive abortion laws limit women’s rights and access to safe reproductive healthcare.

Continued: http://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-swedish-embassy-denies-bribing-liberian-senators-legalize-abortion

22.08.2023

News

abortion law reform

Amplifying Rights Network

Bishop Kortu Brown

Inter-Religious Council

Liberia: “Decriminalize Abortion to Reduce Death among Women,” Activists Say

“Many girls and women have died on a daily basis because they cannot access safe and legal abortion,” says Naomi Tulay-Solanke, the chairperson of the group, Amplifying Rights Network.

05/10/2023
TINA S. MEHNPAINE

Abortion rights activists are calling on the government to decriminalize abortion to ensure that Liberian women have control over their own bodies and reproductive health.

The call by Amplifying Rights Network, a coalition of ten civil society organizations in the field of sexual reproductive health and rights, comes as they claim growing public support for abortion legalization in Liberia.

Continued: https://www.liberianobserver.com/liberia-decriminalize-abortion-reduce-death-among-women-activists-say

10.05.2023

News

Amplifying Rights Network

Clinton Health Access Initiative

decriminalization of abortion

Liberia: New Report Shows 38,779 Induced Abortion Occurred in Liberia in 2021

17 APRIL 2023

Monrovia — The Ministry of Health (MoH) in collaboration with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), along with the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and Guttmacher, has launched the findings of abortion incidence and severity of complications in Liberia.

The Liberia National Abortion Study, which focuses on measuring abortion, the magnitude of complications, cost, and quality of post-abortion care, released the report in Monrovia on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, after two years of methodology abortion incidence and severity of related-complication study.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202304170351.html

18.04.2023