The Advocating for Safe Abortion (ASA) Project has made major strides in improving access to safe and quality abortion care in Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso. Led by the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Cameroon (SOGOC), the Société Malienne de Gynécologie et d’Obstétrique (SOMAGO) and the Société de Gynécologie et d’Obstétrique de Burkina Faso (SOGOB) with support from FIGO, the project has broken long-standing taboos, fostered open dialogue and shifted attitudes in the community.
We look back on collective project experience from the past couple of years to share some useful insights.
Lessons learned: Key takeaways from their experience
The ASA project has fostered informed discussions on safe abortion, continuously challenging misconceptions and shaping public perceptions to bring about real change. Successes:
-VCAT workshops are powerful tools for change
Values Clarification and Attitude Transformation (VCAT) workshops have been the cornerstone of success. These activities consistently led to deep shifts in perceptions of abortion. Participants—including healthcare providers, legal professionals, journalists and community leaders—demonstrated lasting changes in awareness, understanding and attitudes.
-Storytelling moves hearts and minds
Adapting communications and messaging to local sensitivities and using evidence-based data such as maternal mortality studies proved incredibly persuasive. Innovative storytelling and the use of social media helped broadened reach, engagement and influence.
-Multi-stakeholder engagement is critical to success
The project successfully created and strengthened robust networks that bring together civil society organisations, health providers, legal actors, journalists and religious leaders. SOGOC, SOMAGO and SOGOB played a critical role in convening these resilient platforms and nurturing strong bonds, shared vision and commitment among members.
-Decentralisation is key
Regional branches of SOGOC in Cameroon, SOGOB in Burkina Faso and decentralised SOMAGO activities in Mali enabled nationwide engagement and tailored local interventions.
-Integrated staffing structures advance progress
In Cameroon and Mali, the societies adopted a project management unit approach from the very beginning of the project, recruiting external staff dedicated solely to project delivery. This model offers flexibility, allows for the rapid mobilisation of specialised expertise and reduces the workload on existing organisational staff. Although it may not retain all skills in-house after a project ends, it can be more adaptable to changing project demands.
SOGOB in Burkina Faso joined the project later and opted for creating an integrated project management unit within the society, which helped strengthen institutional capacity and retain expertise beyond the project life cycle.
Key achievements
We have seen significant progress towards advancing understanding and support for SRH services, including safe abortion, across all three countries. Standout achievements include:
Referral pathway document in Cameroon
A major achievement was the development and dissemination of a unique referral pathway document for the clinical management of pregnancies resulting from rape. This document continues to serve as a practical guide to clarify and streamline existing legal procedures, enabling rape victims to access legal abortion services more efficiently and reducing administrative bottlenecks. This document remains highly appreciated and is used by SOGOC and other social actors for safe abortion advocacy, with other countries requesting to replicate it.
Technical input to SRH law revisions Mali
In 2024, in response to a request from the Office National de la Santé de la Reproduction (ONASR), SOMAGO made technical recommendations towards improvements in SRH policy in Mali. SOMAGO’s analysis revealed significant legal ambiguities, including around the application of the Maputo Protocol as well as inadequacies of the outdated 2002 SRH law. The society has successfully pushed for integration of new abortion indicators into the national health information management system (DHIS2), which will come into full effect in 2026.
National draft decree clarifying access to safe abortion in Burkina Faso
At the request of the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso, SOGOB has been able to contribute evidence towards the development of a new draft decree that clarifies access to safe abortion procedures within the law. This includes reviewing the 14-week limit for cases of rape and incest and considering task delegation for midwives in areas without gynaecologists. This effort had the full support of the Ministry of Health and involved close collaboration with magistrates.
Looking to the future
The ASA project has undeniably achieved many successes, particularly in shaping legal frameworks, influencing policymaking and shifting public perceptions. However, resource mobilisation remains critical to protect and expand these hard-won gains.
Together with our members and partners, FIGO will continue to build upon the impressive foundation laid by the ASA project, supporting advocacy and capacity strengthening activities to widen access to safe abortion services and create a safer, healthier future for women and girls everywhere.
Learn more about the impact of the ASA project in this evaluation report (pdf).
SOURCE: https://www.figo.org/news/advocating-safe-abortion-project-learnings-and-successes-cameroon-burkina-faso-and-mali, 27 November 2025