Safe access to abortion
In almost all countries access to safe induced abortion is restricted by law. Underlying this is the complex link between access to safe abortion and the first principle of human rights: the right to life. The anti-abortion movement argues that the right to life begins at conception, not birth, but this position undermines the rights of the woman and is contrary to the position of every human rights body in the world.
In this video Marge Berer, the Coordinator of the International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion, speaks about access to safe abortion as a human rights issue, and gives examples of women who have been adversely affected in settings where the law prohibits their right to a safe abortion.
However, the situation is improving: more countries are adjusting restrictions on abortion, and the rise of the medical abortion pill means more women can make their own choices and take control of their reproductive health safely.
Barriers to access
In this and the previous step we have seen that family planning and induced abortion are emotive subjects, and that both providers of services and those seeking to use them can face difficulties in doing so. Reflecting on where you live, how do social, political and cultural barriers play a role in the extent to which people have access to family planning and abortion services?
Improving the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents: from Evidence to Action
Improving the Health of Women, Children and Adolescents: from Evidence to Action
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