Maputo Protocol 20th anniversary! 11 July 2023
Saluting the African feminist movement in all its diversity (women, men and non-binary genders) and the solidarity of the global feminist movement that works tirelessly to strengthen women/girl’s right to equality, which includes access to safe abortion care – time-sensitive essential health care.
We invite you to check out the Celebrating Maputo Protocol at 20 platform and read personal reflections from Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (OBGYNS) from across Africa on what the Maputo Protocol means for their work and lives. Please feel free to follow and tag @FIGOHQ
READ THEIR STATEMENTS HERE: : https://www.figo.org/maputo-protocol-at-20
See also:
Achieving a catalytic transformative change for Africa: Doctors as advocates for improving access to safe abortion care, by FIGO
In 2022, FIGO launched two sub-regional Communities of Practice in partnership with the East, Central and Southern African College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ECSACOG) and the Société Africaine de Gynécologie Obstétrique (SAGO). The ECSACOG-FIGO Community of Practice comprises 10 national member societies of OBGYNs and the SAGO-FIGO Community of Practice comprises 20 national member societies of OBGYNs. Our Communities of Practice enable OBGYNs to share, learn and motivate each other, taking ideas back to their own societies to inform and implement.
“The ECSACOG-FIGO partnership is a relationship to build important momentum to address preventable causes of maternal mortality and morbidity in our African region. OBGYNs and health professionals have long been at the forefront of the fight against preventable maternal mortality and morbidity, we have done this by sharing our first-hand insights and evidence to demonstrate this issue is not just a public health concern but a preventable social injustice that demands urgent focus. Our ECSACOG-FIGO partnership is committed to fostering innovative solutions, amplifying our advocacy to strengthen health systems to better respond to the needs and entitlements of women and girls, which includes their right to access safe abortion care.”
–Professor Bellington Vwalika, Secretary General, ECSACOG
“The SAGO-FIGO Community or Practice had its first meeting in August 2022, which began with a focus on strengthening the leadership capacity of its member societies and executive, with a training on leadership at the individual and society levels. The Community of Practice has then gone on to focus on training OBGYN members on different aspects of advocacy for safe abortion, drawing strongly on the experiences of the five societies already involved in FIGO Advocating for Safe Abortion Project. Current priorities include the creation and strengthening of advocacy strategies relevant to each country context that Community of Practice members can take forwards to further drive advocacy for safe abortion across the region, as well as development of further opportunities for direct peer-to-peer learning and mentoring within the region.”
–Professor Abdoulaye Sepou, Président de la SAGO