International Safe Abortion Day: Global fund for women calls for better funding for abortion rights

As the world celebrates this year’s International Safe Abortion Day, the Global Fund for women in commemoration has once again raised awareness on abortion rights being human rights, adding that this is a fact that has been made “even more profound this year with the overturn of Roe v. Wade in the United States, leaving millions of people living under highly restrictive access to abortion care.

At the same time, countries around the world (including Mexico, Argentina, Benin, and others) are marking historic abortion rights wins, putting the U.S. in the global minority as a country where rights are constricting rather than expanding.”

According to Global Fund for women, placing restrictions on abortion does not reduce the number of abortions people actually need, adding that in fact, rates of unintended pregnancy and poor maternal health outcomes are highest when there are more restrictions and the evidence is undeniable.

It added that “this is unacceptable. Abortion is one piece of a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health services that are critical to advancing reproductive justice everywhere. Global Fund for Women is committed to supporting our partners who are leading important work, including the Filles en Actions campaign in Benin, which is fighting to reduce stigma around abortion and expand access; and Movimiento Causa Justa in Colombia, whose tireless advocacy led to a historic vote by the Constitutional Court legalizing abortion up to 24 weeks.

“Today on International Safe Abortion Day, we join with global feminist groups to call for more and better funding for abortion rights and reproductive justice movements,” Globall fund for women urged.

September 28, recognised as the International Safe Abortion Day is a global feminist campaign for access to safe and legal abortion. This year’s theme is ‘uncertain times call for diverse, collective action on many fronts’ and it calls upon those who support women’s rights and gender justice to speak up as accountable allies.

International Safe Abortion Day began in Latin America and the Caribbean more than 20 years ago; the date was taken on by activists for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) all over the world in 2011.

This year’s campaign calls on the world to reject stigmatizing abortion, commit to being vocal unapologetically, demand access to safe, legal abortion care for all who need it, mobilise our networks to join the call to action and amplifying the campaign messages on social media as a way to support the September 28 campaign

On its part, the MenEngage Alliance, an organisation that had supported the September 28 campaign for long have also noted that there is a need for men to be accountable allies for pro-choice feminist movements as men must understand that denying access to safe abortion is a form of gender-based violence and a denial of fundamental human rights, dignity and freedom.

“As MenEngage Alliance, we are committed to learning about the ways that gender and social norms impact people’s ability to enjoy sexual and reproductive health. We aim to promote an understanding of SRHR that centers human rights, and recognizes people’s diverse realities and challenges,” it said.

Many countries are expanding abortion access. However the US Supreme Court recently went against this in June 2022 on Roe vs Wade means that abortion rights are no longer federally protected in the US.

Reproductive rights and feminist advocates, as well as human rights defenders and social justice advocates from around the world, have expressed disbelief and outrage at the US Supreme Court’s decision.

A statement by the September28 campaign said “this was not a unique act of violence against women and gender diverse people able to get pregnant.”

Speaking on the campaign, Loretta J. Ross, feminist, activist, public intellectual and professor said “Every human being has the right to determine if they would have a child and to raise the children that they do have in a safe and healthy environment.”

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