South Africa – Activists call for more education and access to safe abortions

October 1, 2024

Civil society organisation, Section27, has raised concern over the shortage of registered abortion facilities in the country and a rise of illegal clinics.

The organisation, which recently commemorated International Safe Abortion Day in Braamfontein in the Joburg CBD, went on a spree to take down illegal abortion posters.

Section27 also called on government to strengthen its efforts in providing vital information on this serious medical procedure.

Continued: https://www.yfm.co.za/2024/10/01/activists-call-for-more-education-and-access-to-safe-abortions/

01.10.2024

News

Abortion Support South Africa

Dr Sivuyisiwe Jekwa

Gao Phalaetsile

Ibis Reproductive Health

International Safe Abortion Day

South Africa – Eastern Cape gets SA’s first contraception and HIV kit vending machine

The first-of-its-kind vending machine stocks contraceptives, HIV kits, pregnancy tests, as well as sanitary towels.

By Cornelia Le Roux
10 Apr 2024

The Health Department will be handing over a self-care wellness vending machine in the Eastern Cape at Mthatha Ultra City on Wednesday.

...According to National Health Department spokesperson, Foster Mohale, the vending machine is the first of its kind in South Africa. "This initiative is targeting girls and women of childbearing to increase access to sexual reproductive health and HIV prevention services,” Mohale explained.

Continued: https://www.citizen.co.za/news/eastern-cape-contraception-hiv-kits-vending-machine-helth-department-latest/

10.04.2024

News

contraception vending machine

Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo

Foster Mohale

Nomakhosazana Meth

Sizwe Kupelo

South African Society of Psychiatrists

South Africa – Abortion: The good, the bad and the unsafe

Zandile Khumalo
11 March 2024

"ABORTION will happen whether society believes it or not, but we need to make sure that women stay alive." This is what activist and founder of Abortion Support South Africa, Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile, said amid the continued existence of illegal abortions.

As the world celebrated International Women’s Day on 8 March, Daily Sun rings the alarm on backstreet abortions, challenges in accessing legal pregnancy terminations and the stigmas that still exist.

Continued: https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/news/illegal-abortions-persist-despite-risks-and-activist-gaopalelwe-phalaetsile-raises-awareness-20240311

11.03.2024

Commentary

Abortion Support South Africa

Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile

International Women's Day

South Africa – The abortion rights defender using social media to educate mothers

Saturday, January 20, 2024

In the educational manual Abortion Services and Reproductive Justice in Rural South Africa, the vast nation is listed 10^th in the world’s murder rankings, with 45 daily killings on average.

South Africa is the global leader in violence against women, with a woman or girl, reported raped every four minutes, and every eight hours a woman is murdered by her male partner.

Continued: https://nation.africa/kenya/news/gender/the-abortion-rights-defender-using-social-media-to-educate-mothers-4496686

20.01.2024

News

1996 Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act

Abortion Services and Reproductive Justice in Rural South Africa

Abortion Support South Africa

Feminist Mommy

Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile

Oxfam South Africa

Safe Abortion Action Fund

South Africa – Millions of rand go down the drain as state resources used for illegal abortion industry

Dec 10, 2023
Ntando Makhubu

AS South Africa sits on the edge of disaster resulting from the effects of unsafe abortions, communities and health experts have said what was devastating was the reality that not only were women and young girls endangering their lives by going the illegal route, but the real tragedy was the involvement of state officials, who supplied those who performed terminations and made millions from the illegal procedures.

This despite the country having put into place the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act in 1996, which allows women the right to safe abortions in hospitals and doctors’ rooms, up to 20 weeks of pregnancy to ensure safety and in keeping with the World Health Organisation’s prescripts.

Continued: https://www.iol.co.za/sundayindependent/news/millions-of-rand-go-down-the-drain-as-state-resources-used-for-illegal-abortion-industry-0c8b9d44-bf19-4596-8e43-14459a7b562b

South Africa: How poor service in the public sector is pushing women to ‘backstreet’ abortion

Posted by Ndivhuwo Mukwevho
Oct 18, 2023

In April 2022, *Grace Langa went to Frontier Hospital in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape for an abortion. “At first I went to the hospital on a Monday. I was told that they only perform abortions on Wednesdays.

“I went there again on Wednesday but they said that I had to come back the following week as they only take 20 abortion patients a day,” she recalls. Finally, Langa went back to the hospital the following week and got an ultrasound to see how far along her pregnancy was.

Continued: https://health-e.org.za/2023/10/18/ec-case-study-how-poor-service-in-the-public-sector-is-pushing-women-to-backstreet-abortion/

South Africa – Unsafe abortions continue to proliferate due to a lack of knowledge, stigma and nurses’ attitudes

Noxolo Majavu
28 Sep 2023

Despite safe medical abortion services being offered for free in public health facilities, the number of backdoor abortions being performed, especially on teenagers, is increasingly escalating as bogus doctors profit from the desperation of young women.

The scarcity of nurses and skill shortages, along with the lack of knowledge and the stigma around abortion, are among the reasons young people still opt for terminating pregnancies through illegal abortions at backdoor clinics.

Continued: https://www.news24.com/citypress/news/unsafe-abortions-continue-to-proliferate-due-to-a-lack-of-knowledge-stigma-and-nurses-attitudes-20230928

South Africa – ‘It was just another abortion’

June 29, 2023
Nicola Daniels

While sitting and queuing for hours to have a legal abortion, she felt scared and confused. Some girls were crying, some left the facility because they felt alone, and the staff didn’t care about their feelings or stories.

It was “just another abortion”.

This was the experience of a young woman who underwent an abortion at a local hospital this year. She asked to remain anonymous for her safety.

Continued: https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/it-was-just-another-abortion-d2699620-2834-4941-998c-dcd5df2d44e6

29.06.2023

Commentary

Dr Margit Endler

Kholofelo Mphahlele

women's abortion stories

South Africa – TMH now offers reproductive health care, including safe and legal abortion services

The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy guidelines estimated at least 50% of all abortions were still done by informal, illegal and unsafe providers.

March 17, 2023
Fanie Mthupha

Finally, the Tambo Memorial Hospital boasts a Women’s Health Clinic after not having had the service for decades.

The newly opened clinic, to be officially launched today, is located within the institution, and offers, among other things, family planning, choice on termination of pregnancy (CTOP) services and post-termination of pregnancy care services, which include counselling by a psychologist or social worker to ensure clients cope with post-termination issues.

Continued: https://boksburgadvertiser.co.za/464580/tmh-now-offers-reproductive-health-care-including-safe-and-legal-abortion-services/

17.03.2023