It is two days and counting till International Safe Abortion Day, and there’s still time to join or plan an action! Visit our website here, here and here for lists of what groups are planning around the world, and how you can get involved!
Here’s a roundup of other activities for this #28September when the abortion rights movement will be #LeavingNoOneBehind
POLAND
Save the Women 2017 reacts to police violence
On 24 September 2017 demonstrations took place in Poland organised by the Save the Women 2017 committee.
The organisers stated:
We insist that the Polish government respect European standards in the field of women’s rights as well as parental parenthood. We do not agree to violate the rights and freedoms of women, both as citizens and as patients – hospitals, obstetric clinics, gynaecology clinics and pharmacies. We require, among others: access to legal and safe abortion; access to prenatal testing; comprehensive perinatal care; access to contraception, including emergency; regulation of the conscience clause; Reliable sex education.
Since the beginning of August, the collection of signatures under the Civil Rights Act and conscious parenting is underway. So far, the “Save the Women 2017” Committee has already collected more than 100,000 signatures required for the project to come to the Sejm.
Sadly opposition to the draft bill has been made clear on a number of occasions, including most recently on 20 September, a volunteer, Danuta Sobczak-Domanska, who was collecting signatures for the petition was brutally beaten by Szczecin police. At the police station, despite the symptoms of cerebral shock, the ambulance was summoned only after more than three hours, after the lawyer intervened, who had no doubt that the police had exceeded their authority.
Save the Women committee has strongly protested the aggression our activists and activists meet. Many times, as we reported, there were physical attacks and verbal attacks on volunteers and volunteers collecting signatures under the bill liberalizing Polish abortion law. The committee has demanded a firm response from the police and Minister Blaszczak and to draw condemnation on the officers who committed the brutal beating of Danuta Sobczak-Domanska.
SOURCES: ratujmykobiety, 22 September 2017; ratujmykobiety, 23 September 2017; photo
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ITALY
Non Una Dí Meno
In Milan there will be a gathering with speeches, live music, dancing to celebrate International Safe Abortion Day and denounce:
– Regional government policies that promote conscientious objection in hospitals and consultants
– The media narrative of gender violence that constitutes a further violence against women
#Liberedi #Obiezionerespinta
There will also be events in Rome, Genoa, Bologna and many other cities! More information can be found here
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FRANCE
Marches and demonstrations across France
Mobilisations and actions are planned for cities and towns all over France. Demonstrations and marches will take place on 28 September from 5.30pm to 7pm, depending on the city with hangers, needles and banners. Congregating in:
Paris in Place de la Republique
Marseille in the Old Port
Toulouse in front of the Hôtel Dieu Saint-Jacques
La Rochelle place de Verdun
Saint -Brieuc place Salvador-Allende
Montpellier place de la Comédie
With more taking place in Le Havre Coty, Valence, Rennes, Rouen, the list goes on…
Other actions:
Perpignan: The collective of Perpignan will organise a documentary screening followed by a debate on the evening of 28 September.
Rouen: Mobilization will take place on the 28th at 18:00 in front of the theatre of the Arts with probable departure in manifestation towards the CHU to denounce the dismal reception conditions that are made to the women coming to abort. This situation is far from unique: in many CIVG it seems that everything is done to discourage women from abortion! On 28 September, the International Day for the Right to Abortion, is also the occasion to denounce these situations.
Besançon: Several organizations are calling for a rally on Wednesday 27 September 2017 in Besançon, Place du 8 Septembre at 5 pm, in connection with the International Safe Abortion Day 28 September, with a view to European harmonization for the respect of the rights of women.
SOURCES: npa2009, 21 September 2017; factual.info, 21 September 2017
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BURUNDI
Solidarité des Femmes Burundaises pour la Lutte contre la Sida et le Paludisme au Burundi (S.F.B.L.S.P – BURUNDI)
Together let’s destroy myths, fight against stigma and abortion discrimination!
“We resist and persist: our bodies, our abortions, our rights”
Access to abortion is a right: my body belongs to me, I choose my life.
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LIBERIA
Youth Bridge Inc.: Pregnancy by Choice Not by Chance
In Liberia, Youth Bridge Inc. will officially launch its pilot project: “Pregnancy by Choice Not by Chance” campaign. The project will include a once a week Radio Talk show that will engage, inform and empower young women, especially young girls who have experienced sexual abuse. The project will raise awareness on the lack of legal framework, and build a network of abortion activists in the country. Youth Bridge will also organize a sporting events and small group discussion on birth control. They are still hoping that there can be additional resources to expand the event and incorporate the #IresistWePersist theme nationally where national leaders, and policy makers can attend.
SOURCE: september28
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NIGERIA
https://www.facebook.com/RepJustice/
GIWYN and NaCSAA
GIWYN (Generation Initiative for Women and Youth Network) and NaCSAA (now “National Coalition for Reproductive Justice”(NCRJ) ) will engage in the following activities for this year’s campaign:
1.Adapt and localize the resistance poster for distribution locally
- Organize a community resistance event in Lagos to host discussion to talk about rollbacks such as the Global Gag Rule, and their impact on local SRHR services.
- Publish an article on the consequences of the Global Gag Rule on women in Nigeria.
- Join the online resistant twitter rally
To learn more and contact organizers please write to sept28global@wgnrr.org
SOURCE: September28
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A TV debate on abortion stigma
Photo credit: EbonyLife TV
“Abortion Stigma in Nigeria”, featuring Sybil Nmezi from GIWYN, filmed by EbonyLife will be aired on channel165 DSTV at the following times:
FRIDAY – 7PM, 29TH OF SEPTEMBER
SATURDAY – 8AM, 30TH OF SEPTEMBER
MONDAY – 1PM, 2ND OF OCTOBER
TUESDAY – 7AM, 3ND OF OCTOBER
WEDNESDAY – 1AM, 4TH OF OCTOBER
We will share the clip when it is uploaded online!
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INDONESIA
Samsara
Samsara are asking people to post videos with their own words to the theme of this video, showing that they support #MyBodyChallenge. Using the hashtags #28Sept #MyBodyChallenge #IResistWePersist
SOURCE: Photo
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NEPAL
Reproductive Health Rights Working Group
YouthCAN (Youth Champion Advocacy Nepal) reported that RHRWG organized candle light vigil on 25th September to remember lives lost due to unsafe abortion in Nepal. #SafeAbortion #YouthChampions
SOURCE: Photo
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COLOMBIA
La Mesa por la Vida y la Salud de las Mujeres: 65% of the population surveyed agreed that abortion should be legal
To mark International Safe Abortion Day on 28 September, La Mesa por la Vida y la Salud de las Mujeres in Colombia will be presenting their results of a perception survey conducted in 32 cities across the country. 65% of the population surveyed agreed that abortion should be legal in the three grounds laid out in the judgment of the Constitutional Court, in 2006. This means that abortion is recognised as a fundamental right of women:
- When the fetus has malformations incompatible with life outside the womb.
- When the life and health of women are at risk for the continuation of the pregnancy.
- When women become pregnant due to rape.
Among the findings of the study, 80% of those surveyed responded that they consider it vital that presidential candidates defend the rights of women, whilst more than 70% specifically considered it very important to defend sexual and reproductive rights. 50% of the people surveyed did not agree that women should go to jail for having an abortion, whilst 25% believed that women should go to jail. 62% of survey participants recognised abortion as solely a woman’s decision.
The results represent a great openness in Colombian society and sends a message of support to women who want to access the right to abortion across the country. In addition, the Bureau for the Lives and Health of Women have provided training to public officials in 19 regions of the country on the legal aspects of the right to abortion.
We will share the full length version of this survey when it is available online.
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BRAZIL
Protest marches in various cities around Brazil
The National Front for decriminalization and legalization of abortion is calling Protest marches to be held in various Brazilian cities on 28 September. On 27 September the Front will also be running a Feminist 24 hour Protest Stream on Facebook. An warm-up session in preparation for the 24-hour stream was run on September 11, 12 and 13. Check here.
A Feminist Alert flyer was launched in early September to warn abortion rights activists about the risks of major setbacks at play in Congress where the conservative majority is pushing for various provisions aimed at further restricting access to abortion. Right now the more problematic are two constitutional amendments. At the Senate, PEC 29/2015 proposing the insertion of right from conception in the constitutional had was approved by its rapporteur in May and placed for being voted at the Committee of Constitution, Citizenship and Justice (check here to read more). At the House, another constitutional amendment PEC 181/2015, originally aimed at expanding maternity leave rights has been amended to include language on the right of the unborn. It is ready to be voted by a Special Committee and if approved it will be send to plenary for final voting. Amnesty International Brazil launched an online campaign to pressure against its approval, which can be accessed here.
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MEXICO
Some visuals from Fondo Maria
