1. Safe Abortion in Asia Making it work ! Dr S P Choong, MB,ChB. FCA. Chair, Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP)

2. Abortion in our name, Why use abortion? Why not!!! 35 yrs after Roe vs Wade. 15 yrs since ICPD in Cairo; 20 yrs since RU-486 discovered 30yrs since approval of MVA, 40yrs since the Pill and the IUCD. When are we going to make it work??

3. Every day thousands of Asian women, driven by desperation, poverty and social stigma, seek help from unskilled providers to end unplanned pregnancies. Every day more than 100 such women, often young girls, die as a result. Tens of thousands more suffer life-long disabilities. In Asia, unsafe abortion accounts for 12 percent of all maternal, or pregnancy-related, deaths and claims the lives of 38,000 women each year, according to the World Health Organization. Why is this situation not considered CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE?

4. Restrictive abortion laws and exclusion of safe abortion services in health programs by governments threaten the health and lives of tens of thousands of women every year. Many NGOs supporting women’s health programs continue to ignore the critical importance of abortion services. World opinion now considers such restrictions and exclusions as serious violations of human rights! (ref: CEDAW, ICPD, MDG’s under the UN, Human Rights Watch, European Court of Human Rights.) While some ‘backward’ nations are still debating about de-crimnializing abortions the, world community is now seriously working to criminalise abortion bans/restrictions!!

5. ASAP—making a difference Established a googlegroup to disseminate updated technical information / regular news on abortion- related issues globally.Established a googlegroup to disseminate updated technical information / regular news on abortion- related issues globally. Expanding our network and experience through international and regional conferences and workshops.Expanding our network and experience through international and regional conferences and workshops. Strategic mapping and pooling of existing resources.Strategic mapping and pooling of existing resources. Capacity building for members todevelop advocacy strategiesCapacity building for members to develop advocacy strategies and action plans

6. Identifying advocacy opportunities encouraging strategic interventions.Identifying advocacy opportunities and encouraging strategic interventions. Strengthening the documentationStrengthening the documentation of issues related to safe abortion in Asia by conducting local studies. Liaison with partnersLiaison with partners on a regular basis through the website and e-group. peer to peer support method of medical abortionSetting up a peer to peer support to the providers who are new to the method of medical abortion.

7. Our organisational brochure

9. Our Website www.asap-asia.orgwww.asap-asia.org

10. Some highlights……..

11. 1. Research: A qualitative survey of Legal Professionals multi-country research studyThe qualitative multi-country research study on knowledge, attitudes and understanding of legal professionals with regard to safe abortion as a women’s right. Initiated in July 2008 and recently concluded in 7 countries (India, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Sri Lanka) through local partners.

12. Legal Professionals: do we know what they think ? To appreciate the differences in knowledge, attitudes and understanding among legal professionals and law enforcement officials towards women’s rights to safe and legal abortion in countries with differing laws on abortion. To prepare strategies for advocacy to improve abortion access in those countries where it is legal. To create a more conducive legal environment to support safe abortion services for women in countries where abortion laws are restrictive.

13. 2. Workshop: Understanding Safe Abortion as a Right: Defining our Position A three day workshop was held in March in Mumbai with 22 participants from 8 countries of Asia- Pacific region. The aim of the workshop was To better understand the human rights framework for the advocacy activities in the field of women’s rights and To develop skills for the designing of advocacy messages placing safe abortion in the context of those rights. Moving advocacy from health needs to ethics and human rights advocacy.

14. 3. Linking-up Regionally and Globally: An International e-forum We have an International e-forum (http://groups.google.com/group/asap-asia?hl=en) We have an International e-forum (http://groups.google.com/group/asap-asia?hl=en) The postings on this e-forum are the discussions and updates related to technical, policy, programmatic issues of Safe Abortion in Asia and Globally. This googlegroup has had over 200 postings with 82 members on the list so far. Breaking local advocates out of isolation, developing more confidence through a more cohesive e-community.

15. 4. Socialising Abortion: Helpline for medical abortion A proposal to train sympathetic counselors from the local community to provide information on MA and linking them to approved providers. Thus: - Creating community access to Medical Abortion through telephone counseling.Creating community access to Medical Abortion through telephone counseling. Linking potential abortion seekers to friendly confidential service providers and backup services.Linking potential abortion seekers to friendly confidential service providers and backup services. Reduce doctor dependency and clinic resources by encouraging self medication at home. Reduce doctor dependency and clinic resources by encouraging self medication at home. Remove the social stigma (in the long term)Remove the social stigma (in the long term)

16. Helpline for medical abortion….. Remove the social stigma (in the long term) Remove the social stigma (in the long term) Reduce doctor dependency and strain on clinical servicesReduce doctor dependency and strain on clinical services. Empower women by instilling knowledge for self- help, enabling them to act as decision makers.Empower women by instilling knowledge for self- help, enabling them to act as decision makers. To “de-medicalise” and socialize the abortion services through better education, communication and application of new technology.

17. Conclusions……… 1.Safe abortion advocates in Asia are still operating in relative isolation in their countries. Regional networking is needed to increase their strength and capacity and to generate more confidence in their work. 2.The ideological position taken by advocates is still rather diffuse and diverse. Understanding and adopting a common platform based on human rights in the abortion debate will enable us to take a more assertive and aggressive position..

18. Continued………. 3. The taboo associated with any discussion on abortion has to be eradicated. Collecting and exposing more local data on abortion situations at all discussions on policies Collecting and exposing more local data on abortion situations at all discussions on policies Generate more debates on abortion in relation to women's rights or health. Generate more debates on abortion in relation to women's rights or health. This will eventually remove the paralyzing social stigma of abortion. This will eventually remove the paralyzing social stigma of abortion.

19. Continued……… 4. The full potential offered by ‘newer’ medical technology like MA and MVA is still far from being realized. Creative re-organization of existing services is needed to ‘socialize’ abortion services to involve the para medics and community leaders and to reduce doctor dependency. Ultimately, this socialization will also help to de- stigmatize the issue leading to universal access.

20. 5. Educating all women on ‘DIY’ methods of abortion is needed to enable them to make their own decisions on their reproductive health. This will translate into greater confidence in women eventually empowering them to play a bigger role as decision makers.

21. Together, we can make it WORK! Thank you