FIGO launches the Advocating for Safe Abortion project in Guinea

June 17, 2026

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) has launched its Advocating for Safe Abortion project in Guinea, marking a new step in efforts to improve access to quality abortion care within the country’s sexual and reproductive health agenda.

Through the project, FIGO will work with the Guinea Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society (SOGGO) to build institutional capacity, strengthen advocacy leadership and promote the use of evidence in policy and practice. The initiative builds on FIGO’s wider Advocating for Safe Abortion project, which has supported national obstetrics and gynaecology societies in 14 countries to overcome barriers to accessing safe and quality abortion care and to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights in the African and Latin American regions.

Continued; https://www.figo.org/news/figo-launches-advocating-safe-abortion-project-guinea

17.06.2026

News

Advocating for Safe Abortion Project

FIGO

Guinea Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society

International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Facing the reality of unsafe abortions head on

12 February 2026
FIGO - Reyes Castellano, Senior Communications and Engagement Manager

For years in Benin, unsafe abortion was a silent killer. Every year, nearly 500 women and girls died – not from rare diseases or unavoidable complications, but from clandestine unsafe procedures carried out in secrecy and fear. Lives lost quietly, often unnamed.

Dr Emmanuel Ewagnignon, President of the National College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Benin (CNGOB) saw the consequences firsthand.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/facing-reality-unsafe-abortions-head

12.02.2026

Commentary

abortion stigma

Advocating for Safe Abortion Project

clandestine abortion

Dr Emmanuel Ewagnignon

FIGO

International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics

National College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Benin

Advocating for Safe Abortion Project: learnings and successes from Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mali

27 November 2025
FIGO

The Advocating for Safe Abortion (ASA) Project has made major strides in improving access to safe and quality abortion care in Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso. Led by the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Cameroon (SOGOC), the Société Malienne de Gynécologie et d’Obstétrique (SOMAGO) and the Société de Gynécologie et d’Obstétrique de Burkina Faso (SOGOB) with support from FIGO, the project has broken long-standing taboos, fostered open dialogue and shifted attitudes in the community.

We look back on collective project experience from the past couple of years to share some useful insights.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/advocating-safe-abortion-project-learnings-and-successes-cameroon-burkina-faso-and-mali

FIGO at 70: Our journey towards improving sexual and reproductive rights with the Advocating for Safe Abortion Project

As FIGO celebrates its 70th anniversary, we mark the vital role the Advocating for Safe Abortion (ASA) Project has had in improving the sexual and reproductive health and rights of people in lower income and lower middle-income countries. Here we reflect on the project's evolution, successes and enduring legacy.

11 April 2024
Jessica Morris

Building on strong foundations
The ASA Project launched in 2019 expanding on the work of the 2007 Prevention of Unsafe Abortion Initiative. A testament to FIGO's continuous commitment to sexual and reproductive rights, the project has become a vital piece of FIGO's efforts to address critical issues surrounding access to safe abortion. The ASA Project’s work focuses on implementing a dual pillar approach which supports societies to become stronger institutions and national leaders of SRHR, as well as implementing multi-pronged strategies to improve access to safe abortion.

Our work with national member societies – driven advocates, catalysing change
Through partnership with 12 national member societies in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, The ASA Project has emphasised the need for intersection of medical expertise and rights-based advocacy in diverse contexts.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/blog/figo-70-our-journey-towards-improving-sexual-and-reproductive-rights-advocating-safe-abortion

How can innovation help increase access to self-managed medical abortion in Sub-Saharan Africa?

1 August 2023
Jameen Kaur, FIGO Advocating for Safe Abortion Project, and Julia Hanne, Options Consultancy Services Ltd

Increasing access to safe abortion reduces maternal mortality and disability. However, currently, 45% of all abortions globally are unsafe and are a catastrophic public health problem, accounting for up to 13% of preventable maternal deaths worldwide and causing hundreds of thousands of survivors to live with preventable long-term complications.

The World Health Organisation states that in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a medical abortion can safely be self-managed by the pregnant person outside of a health care facility (e.g., at home), in whole or in part, and with access to quality medicines, accurate information and the support from a trained health worker (if needed).

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/how-can-innovation-help-increase-access-self-managed-medical-abortion-sub-saharan-africa

#EmbraceEquity: Women’s access to sexual and reproductive health and rights in humanitarian settings

March 8, 2023
Aude Langlois, Senior Communications and Marketing Coordinator, FIGO

To mark International Women’s Day 2023, FIGO is highlighting the need to embrace equity in women’s health care. Women and girls in crisis settings are at heightened risk of having limited access to essential health care – including sexual and reproductive health services. To defend the rights of women and girls in humanitarian contexts, it is essential to promote and protect the provision of health services.

The increased vulnerability of women and girls in humanitarian crises
In crisis settings, women and girls face significant hardships when trying to access sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Chronic fragility and displacement among women and girls puts them at high risk of unwanted pregnancy by increasing their risks of sexual violence, transactional and coercive sex, human trafficking, and other forms of sexual exploitation and violence.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/embraceequity-womens-access-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-humanitarian-settings

‘Umbuntu: I am because we are’ – East, Central and Southern Africa OBGYNs come together to inspire and be inspired

24 November 2022
Chira Zerbo, FIGO. Project Assistant, Advocating for Safe Abortion Project

In October 2022, the first Community of Practice (COP) – a partnership between the East, Central, and Southern Africa College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ECSACOG) and FIGO’s Advocating for Safe Abortion Project – was hosted in Rwanda.

The COP is comprised of sexual reproductive health champions from 10 national OBGYN societies – Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique – that came together to leverage their clinical expertise and resources to address the scale of unsafe abortion in the Eastern, Central and Southern Africa region.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/east-central-and-southern-africa-obgyns-inspire

Standing strong: youth health workers from Benin share lessons from sexual and reproductive health and rights workshop

28 April 2022
FIGO Advocating for Safe Abortion Project

From 9–11 March 2022, in Cotonou, Benin, FIGO’s Advocating for Safe Abortion Project worked with the National College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Benin (CNGOB) to organise a capacity building workshop for their counterparts visiting from Mali alongside the Youth Health Workers for Safe Abortion (YHW4SA) – a Beninese network of young pro-choice health professionals set-up in 2021 by CNGOB.

The group attending the workshop was made up of 15 members of the YHW4SA network and five members of the Malian Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SOMAGO).

The aim was to share knowledge and tools on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and on best practice to discuss abortion, in order to enable participants to address abortion stigma and strengthen access to safe abortion in their workplaces and wider communities.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/youth-health-workers-benin-share-lessons-srhr-workshop

Using music as a tool to fight against maternal and child mortality in Mozambique

10 September 2021
FIGO
Eunice Themba, AMOG

The Associação Moçambicana de Obstetras e Ginecologistas (AMOG) recently worked with musicians in Mozambique to release a song on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), with a focus on access to safe abortion. As part of an awareness-raising campaign, AMOG organised an event for adolescents at Josina Machel Secondary School with musicians Yolanda Kakana from Banda Kakana, and Sistah Áfrika.

Using music to raise awareness of the right to safe abortion
Art, in general, and music, in particular, can – and should – contribute to the fight against maternal and child mortality. Yolanda Kakana and Sistah Áfrika wrote the song “Dura Realidade” (Hard Reality), which tells the story of a girl who intends to end an unwanted pregnancy, to raise awareness of this issue in Mozambique.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/using-music-tool-fight-against-maternal-and-child-mortality-mozambique

From ‘Conscientious Objection’ to ‘Conscientiously Committed’ – How OBGYNS can advocate for bodily autonomy in access to safe abortion

1 September 2021
FIGO - Advocating for Safe Abortion Project, Committee on Safe Abortion

In this FIGO Long Read, we provide a round-up of a recent roundtable discussion hosted by FIGO's Advocating for Safe Abortion Project (ASAP) and Committee on Safe Abortion. Together with partners, we explored the critical issue of conscientious objection and its impact on the availability of and access to legal and safe abortion services.

Quote by Laura Gil: Sadly ‘conscientious objection’ has become a widespread barrier for many people to access the care that they need. It is very common to hear that women or girls cannot get an abortion on time, got an unsafe abortion, or didn't get one at all because of ‘conscientious objection‘ from the available personnel.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/conscientious-objection-conscientiously-committed-how-obgyns-can-advocate-bodily-autonomy