Campaign gives women the power of choice

Bid to provide information and resources for safe abortions

MARIE Stopes South Africa and Blue Ribbon have embarked on a public campaign called My Body, My Choice, to empower women with access to accurate information and resources for safe abortions.

This is to empower them to make an informed choice about their sexual and reproductive health.

According to Marie Stopes, there are 360 public hospitals in South Africa, but fewer than 50% of them provide safe abortions.

And every year, more than 10000 illegal abortions are performed in the country.

Marie Stopes South Africa marketing head Whitney Chinogwenya said the campaign aimed to erase the stigma attached to the word “abortion”.

“My Body, My Choice is more than a slogan; it’s an assurance that we support women every step of the way to ensure they are able to make an informed decision about their sexual and reproductive health,” Chinogwenya said.

“We want to reach the day when all women in South Africa can proudly say: ‘I am in control of my body! I have the legal right to have a safe abortion performed by high-quality women’s healthcare facilities.’ ”

According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), there are five main direct causes of maternal mortality worldwide. The world has made significant progress on four of them. But unsafe abortion – the only fully preventable cause – has been largely neglected.

Unsafe abortion still accounts for at least one in 12 maternal deaths globally. More than 22000 women and girls die each year after undertaking an unsafe abortion, according to the comprehensive Guttmacher report published last year.

MSF said in 2017 that its staff had treated more than 23000 patients with post-abortion complications. In some hospitals where MSF teams work, up to 30% of obstetric complications may be due to unsafe abortions.

In South Africa, abortion was legalised almost 23 years ago (The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act 1996 [Act No 92 of 1999]). And yet, despite this act, women and girls continued to face barriers in getting safe abortion care in health facilities that should be providing the service, said MSF.

The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Manager at MSF’s Rustenburg project, nurse Kgaladi Mphahlele, said: “Instead of judgment, what a woman needs is health care that will respect the reason why she has come forward, ensure that she can talk with a trained professional and provide her with high-quality abortion care when she needs it.”

Marie Stopes has 17 centres across South Africa that offer safe abortion pills, procedures and support. To make an appointment for a safe abortion book online or call: 0800 11 77 85.

For more information, visit https:// www.blueribbon.org.za/