DOCSLIB.ORG

The Reality of Unsafe Abortion Among Adolescent and Young Women

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Reality of Unsafe Abortion Among Adolescent and Young Women Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) www.arrow.org.my Vol. 12 No. 3 2006www.arrow.org.my n ISSN 1394-4444 Published by the Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) Young and Vulnerable: The Reality of Unsafe Abortion among Adolescent and Young Women The Asia-Pacific is home to over a point to young women self-inducing billion people between the ages of abortion and going to hospitals for 10-24 but data on the incidence of treatment of complications, or travelling induced abortion among this group are overseas for services (e.g., to Australia).3,4 sparse, unrepresentative and incomplete, Micro studies and hospital data especially with respect to unmarried consistently show that deaths from women. Estimates in Asia using abortion-related complications are national/subnational data range from higher among adolescents, particularly 1-15% of all abortions1; micro studies if unmarried.1,7 This is primarily because indicate much higher proportions.1,2 (1) they are more likely to have second On the other hand, except for Australia trimester abortions which even in the and New Zealand, Pacific data are safest of settings carry greater risk than Photo Illustration by: Likhaan Illustration by: Photo unavailable.3,4 earlier abortions; (2) they are more likely In most parts of the Asia-Pacific, to access services of an unskilled provider the majority of young abortion seekers or self induce; and (3) they are less likely are unmarried. In South Asia, where 32% of 15-19 year to seek early care for complications. What then causes young olds are married and almost all women are married by age women to face these additional risks? 24,5 however, most unwanted pregnancies occur within Legal Barriers. Unsafe abortion is almost unknown marriage in the context of delaying a first birth or spacing a where laws are liberal and access widespread, as in East subsequent one. However, even in this subregion, incidence Asia. Where access is limited despite less restrictive laws of pregnancies among unmarried teenagers is on the rise, as in India or where abortion is severely restricted, young, especially in urban areas.1 unmarried, poor women are impacted disproportionately.1 Contraceptive use among sexually active unmarried Even liberal laws may contain ambiguity around the rights girls is negligible and even among married 15-19 year of unmarried women,8 impose age restrictions or require olds, use is lower than amongst older women.5 Lack of parental/guardian authorisation. Even where not mandated accurate knowledge of contraception, difficulties in access by law, hospitals may insist on the presence of the parent (especially for unmarried girls), gender inequalities, family at the time of the procedure.9 The signature of the husband planning programmes ignoring the needs of newly weds and may be required for married girls as either part of law (e.g. unmarried girls and the commonality of non-consensual sex South Korea) or practice.1 are all factors to this low use. Social Stigma, Lack of Support, Lack of Information. Unsafe Abortion among Young People. Shah and Premarital sex is stigmatised in most parts of Asia-Pacific. Ahman6 estimate that 9% of all unsafe abortions in Asia are In parts of South Asia, any pregnancy in an unmarried among girls aged 15-19 and a further 23% among young girl is referred to as ‘illegal’ and women often believe that women aged 20-24. These proportions are lower than in abortion in these circumstances is illegal even when it Africa or Latin America; nevertheless, the sheer size of may not be.1 Stigma imposes a need for confidentiality, Asia’s population means that the region accounts for just which coupled with lack of partner and/or family support under half (45.7%) of the 7.2 million unsafe abortions and economic vulnerability, may make it hard for some among women aged 15-24 that occur each year in the young women to access medically safe services1 and even developing world. In the Pacific, there is little information clandestine safe services may charge a high financial and official records on any aspect of induced abortion. premium. Unskilled providers may be the only option Interviews with key persons and micro studies, however, even in settings where safer, legal alternatives exist.1 Self- Vol. 12 No.3 2006 1 Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women (ARROW) www.arrow.org.my www.arrow.org.my induction using misoprostol is also becoming increasingly may help providers to interact with these young women in common in some parts (e.g., China and India).1 In certain non-judgemental ways. contexts (e.g. the Philippines), religious prohibitions and Family planning programmes—whether of the state, cultural taboos against abortion are also very strong. Women the private sector, or of non-government organisations— still have abortions despite these barriers, but these limit must have policies that not just provide comprehensive even further options that are already limited by restrictive sexuality education and information but also make laws. Poor knowledge of reproductive physiology may contraceptives accessible to young women. Post-abortion delay recognition of the pregnancy; fear and psychological care must include contraceptive counselling and links to denial may also add to the delay. Safe second trimester effective contraception even for unmarried young women. services even in liberal legal environments are fewer, The potential for medical abortion—such as misoprostol urban-based, may have additional legal requirements (e.g. and mifepristone—in making access to safe abortion a a second physician opinion), the abortion takes longer and reality is immense. Yet much more information and work is may involve a hospital stay—all these factors also increase needed to understand how medical abortion can best meet the delay in seeking care or drive women to more easily adolescent needs in diverse settings in the Asia-Pacific available but less safe options. 1, 9 Moreover many unmarried without compromising safety. girls face judgemental attitudes and rude behaviour from Youth is a time of promise and hope. No young woman providers. Even compassionate providers may be reluctant should have to lose her life, health, future and dignity to to acknowledge the realities of premarital sex and focus the hopelessness, desperation, stigma and the judgement post-abortion counselling efforts on the need to avoid sex of societies unwilling to recognise her choices, rights and rather than these women’s contraceptive needs. 10 humanity. Barriers Faced by Married Adolescents. Married adolescents do not face the same social stigma that their Endnotes IAL unmarried counterparts do. Nevertheless, their status in the family, decisionmaking powers, financial independence and 1 Ganatra, Bela. 2006. “Unsafe abortion in South and South-East Asia: A review of evidence,” in mobility may be more limited than older women, 1 leading Warriner, I.K. & Shah, I.H. (eds.). Preventing Unsafe Abortion and Its Consequences: Priorities for 1, 11 Research and Action. New York & Washington: Guttmacher Institute. pp. 151-186. TOR to delays or the use of less skilled providers. I Ultimately, the barriers can be so strong that accessing 2 Warakamin S.; Boonthai, N.; Tangcharoensathien, V. 2004. “Induced abortion in Thailand: Current any form of abortion care becomes impossible. Young situation in public hospitals and legal perspectives.” Reproductive Health Matters (RHM). Vol. 12, No. 24 ED women may carry on with such pregnancies, may abandon (supplement). pp. 147-56. or sell their babies or resort to infanticide. The pregnant 3 UNFPA Office for the Pacific. 2005. Before It’s Too Late: Pacific Experiences Addressing Adolescent adolescent may be killed in order to preserve the family Reproductive Health. Suva, Fiji: UNFPA Office for the Pacific. 48p. Available at <pacific.unfpa. honour or be driven to suicide. 1, 12 org/pubs/pub_asrh.htm>. How Can Access Be Increased? While abortion data 4 UNFPA Office for the Pacific. 2006. Situation Analysis in Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health are always difficult to obtain, governments and researchers in the Pacific Series. Suva, Fiji: UNFPA Office for the Pacific. Available at <pacific.unfpa.org/pubs/ should make every effort to obtain and make accessible ASRH%20Kiribati.pdf>. age-disaggregated information about the incidence of, 5 Population Reference Bureau (PRB). 2006. “The world’s youth: 2006 data sheet.” Washington, DC: PRB. morbidity and mortality from unsafe abortion. This is key pp. 9-11. to having appropriate information for advocacy. We need 6 Shah, I.; Ahman, E. 2004. “Age patterns of unsafe abortion in developing country regions.” RHM. Vol. to learn more about young unmarried women’s pathways to 12, No. 24 (supplement). pp. 9-17. abortion care-seeking and their informal information and 7 Olukoya, A. [et al.]. 2001. “Unsafe abortion in adolescents.” International Journal of Obstetrics and support networks, and academics and researchers should Gynecology. Vol. 75, No. 2. pp. 137-147. make this a research priority. Understanding these is a key 8 Hirve, Siddhivinayak S. 2004. “Abortion law, policies and services in India: A critical review.” RHM. step to finding appropriate community-based resources to Vol. 12, No. 24 (supplement). pp. 114-121. making information accessible to women, whatever the legal 9 Gallo, M.; Nghia, N.C. “Real life is different: a qualitative study of why women delay abortion until the circumstances. Where possible, policies that have blanket second trimester in Vietnam.” Social Science & Medicine. Available online 13 March 2007. age of consent requirements need to be modified to include 10 Klingberg-Allvin, M. [et al.]. 2006. “Perspectives of midwives and doctors on adolescent sexuality and the concept of the evolving capacity of the adolescent abortion care in Vietnam.” Scand J Public Health.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The GEMMA Fund Fifth Annual Report: 2013-2014
    The GEMMA Fund Fifth Annual Report: 2013-2014 AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico *Photo: A pro-abortion activist participating in the September 25th, 2012 demonstration in favor of legal- ization of abortion in Montevideo, Uruguay. This action was a protest of the decriminalization law which passed in October 2012, because the law (currently in place) is so restrictive. More than a dozen women were part of the nude demonstration, painted orange with owers, while others were dressed in orange. Demonstrators held signs saying "Aborto Legal" (Legal Abortion). Marta Agunin, who directs Women and Health [MYSU], a non-governmental organization in Uruguay, complained “This is not the law for which we fought for more than 25 years” Developed and designed by Jenny Holl and Gelsey Hughes, March 2015. *http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Uruguay-poised-to-legalize-abortion-3893945.php#photo-3506159 Mission The GEMMA Fund supports Emory University graduate students’ research and their collaborations with public health organizations to contribute to the prevention of maternal deaths from abortion. Background The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 21 million women worldwide receive unsafe abortions every year, resulting in 47,000 maternal deaths annually (13% of all maternal deaths). Nearly all (98%) of unsafe abortions take place in developing countries. The WHO estimates that if all women were able to attain the same quality of abortion services available in the United States, fewer than 100 women would die from abortions each year, but for
    [Show full text]
  • Philippines: the Protection Offered to Female Victims of Sexual Abuse Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa
    Home > Research > Responses to Information Requests RESPONSES TO INFORMATION REQUESTS (RIRs) New Search | About RIR's | Help 13 March 2008 PHL102719.E Philippines: The protection offered to female victims of sexual abuse Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa Freedom House reports that "[r]ape, domestic violence, [and] sexual harassment on the job ... continue to be major problems despite efforts in government and civil society to protect women from violence and abuse" (2007). Similarly, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006 states that violence against women "remained a serious problem" (US 6 Mar. 2007, Sec. 5). According to the Philippine Star, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported 22,724 victims of sexual abuse from 2000 to 2005 (27 Sept. 2007). The DSWD, which provides programs and services for specific groups including women (Philippines n.d.a), reports on its website that it provided assistance to 237 female victims of rape, 91 female victims of incest and 5 female victims of "acts of lasciviousness" in 2006 (ibid. n.d.b). According to the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW), the number of cases of violence against women increased from 1,100 in 1996 to 6,505 in 2005, and police records for 2005 indicate that 17.2 percent of cases reported to the police were rape cases (Philippines Mar. 2006). The Anti-Rape Law of 1997, which amends the definitions of the crime of rape in the Revised Penal Code, also defines marital rape as a crime unless the wife forgives the offender (i.e., her husband) (ibid.
    [Show full text]
  • 3.Philippines
    LAWS AND POLICIES AFFECTING THEIR REPRODUCTIVE LIVES PAGE 123 3. Philippines Statistics GENERAL Population ■ Total population (millions): 83.1.1 ■ Population by sex (thousands): 40,418.2 (female) and 40,990.0 (male).2 ■ Percentage of population aged 0–14: 36.5.3 ■ Percentage of population aged 15–24: 20.3.4 ■ Percentage of population in rural areas: 39.5 Economy ■ Annual percentage growth of gross domestic product (GDP): 3.5.6 ■ Gross national income per capita: USD 1,080.7 ■ Government expenditure on health: 1.5% of GDP.8 ■ Government expenditure on education: 2.9% of GDP.9 ■ Percentage of population below the poverty line: 37.10 WOMEN’S STATUS ■ Life expectancy: 73.1 (female) and 68.8 (male).11 ■ Average age at marriage: 23.8 (female) and 26.3 (male).12 ■ Labor force participation: 54.8 (female) and 84.3 (male).13 ■ Percentage of employed women in agricultural labor force: Information unavailable. ■ Percentage of women among administrative and managerial workers: 58.14 ■ Literacy rate among population aged 15 and older: 96% (female) and 96% (male).15 ■ Percentage of female-headed households: 11.16 ■ Percentage of seats held by women in national government: 18.17 ■ Percentage of parliamentary seats occupied by women: 15.18 CONTRACEPTION ■ Total fertility rate: 3.03.19 ■ Contraceptive prevalence rate among married women aged 15–49: 49% (any method) and 33% (modern method).20 ■ Prevalence of sterilization among couples: 10.4% (total); 10.3% (female); 0.1% (male).21 ■ Sterilization as a percentage of overall contraceptive prevalence: 22.4.22 MATERNAL HEALTH ■ Lifetime risk of maternal death: 1 in 90 women.23 ■ Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births: 200.24 ■ Percentage of pregnant women with anemia: 50.25 ■ Percentage of births monitored by trained attendants: 60.26 PAGE 124 WOMEN OF THE WORLD: ABORTION ■ Total number of abortions per year: Information unavailable.
    [Show full text]
  • Laws on Violence Against Women in the Philippines
    EGM/GPLVAW/2008/EP.12 22 August 2008 ENGLISH only United Nations Nations Unies United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women Expert Group Meeting on good practices in legislation on violence against women United Nations Office at Vienna, Austria 26 to 28 May 2008 Laws on Violence against Women in the Philippines Expert Paper prepared by: Rowena V. Guanzon* Professor, University of the Philippines College of Law Steering Committee Member, Asia Cause Lawyers Network * The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations. 1 EGM/GPLVAW/2008/EP.12 22 August 2008 ENGLISH only Background: Since 1995, violence against women (VAW) has captured the attention of the government and legislators in the Philippines, propelled by the demand of a growing women’s human rights movement and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, its Optional Protocol1 as well as other international conventions. The Beijing Conference on Women in 1995 heightened the demand of women’s rights advocates for laws protecting women from violence. Progressive reforms in laws protecting women was brought about by several factors beginning with the democratization process that began in the 1986 People Power Revolution after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship, the 1987 Constitution2 that has specific provisions on the rights of women and fundamental equality before the law of men and women, the increasing number of women’s organizations in the provinces with links to Metro Manila based women’s rights organizations,3 and the participation of women legislations who are becoming increasingly aware of the need for gender equality and the elimination of VAW.
    [Show full text]
  • PHILIPPINES: Country Gender Profile
    PHILIPPINES: Country Gender Profile July 2008 Cristina Santiago In-House Consultant Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this Paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use Contents List of Abbreviations………………………………………………………………..viii 1. Basic Profile 1.1 Socio-Economic……………………………………………………1 1.2 Health………………………………………………………………3 1.3 Education………………………………………………………......4 2. Government Policy on Gender and the National Machinery 2.1 Women’s Situation in the Philippines……………………………...5 2.2 Government Policy on Gender…………………………………….7 2.3 National Machinery ……………………………………………….7 3. Current Situation of Women by Sector 3.1 Education Education in the Philippines……………………………………….11 Expenditure on Education………………………………………....11 Basic Key Indicators……………………………………………….12 Basic and Functional Literacy Rates……………………………….15 3.2 Health Health Situation in the Philippines…………………………………17 Maternal Mortality………………………………………………….17 Contraception……………………………………………………….18 Fertility Rates………………………………………….....................21 Abortion………………………………………………………….....23 Infant Mortality and Under 5 Mortality………………………….....24 Public Health Indicators in Southeast Asia…………………………25 Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances……………………..26 Violence Against Women and Children………………………….....27 ii 3.3 Agriculture Agriculture in the Philippines ……………………………………..29 Land Ownership……………………………………………………30 Women’s Participation in Agriculture………………………………30 Indigenous Women in Traditional Agriculture…………………......32
    [Show full text]
  • Fma.Ph; [email protected]
    Submission on domestic violence in the context of COVID-19 to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences June 30, 2020 For all inquiries related to this submission, please contact: Liza S. Garcia Executive Director Foundation for Media Alternatives Quezon City, Philippines [email protected]; [email protected] Contributors to this report (in alphabetical order): Liza Garcia, FMA Christina Lopez, FMA Jessamine Pacis, FMA Janina Sarmiento, FMA Nina Somera, FMA Acknowledgements: We would also like to thank the Association for Progressive Communications for their support in the creation of this report. 1 FMA Submission to the UNSR on Violence against women | Table of Contents About Foundation for Media Alternatives 03 Introduction and Context 04 Legal framework 06 Violence against women in the Philippines in the context of COVID-19 09 Support to VAW victims 11 Access to legal measures 12 Access to health services 13 Preventing VAW in the time of COVID-19 14 Role of technology in a crisis 15 Conclusions and recommendations 17 2 FMA Submission to the UNSR on Violence against women | About FMA The Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA) is a non-stock, non-profit organization founded in 1987 soon after the People Power Revolution in the Philippines. Its mission is to assist citizens and communities - especially civil society organizations and other disadvantaged sectors - in their strategic and appropriate use of various communications media for democratization and popular empowerment. In 1996, FMA focused on information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the emerging phenomenon of the Internet, and began to frame communication rights as human rights.
    [Show full text]
  • A Likhaan Center for Women's Health, Philippines
    Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, Philippines a Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, Philippines National Report on Building New Constituencies for Women’s SRHR: Interlinkages Between Religion and SRHR NATIONAL REPORT CONTENTS Understanding Catholic Fundamentalism in the Published by: Acknowledgements ii Philippines: How conservative religious teachings on women, family and contraception are wielded to impede Likhaan Center for Women’s Health List of Acronyms iii the Reproductive Health Law and other reproductive 27 Ofelia St., Ofelia Subdivision, Barangay Bahay Toro, health policies Quezon City 1106, Philippines Executive Summary iv Telephone: +63 2 926-6230 and +63 2 454-3854 Likhaan Center for Women’s Health Fax: +63 2 926-6230 1. Introduction 1 Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women Email: [email protected] (ARROW) Website: www.likhaan.org 2. Profiling the Philippines: SRHR and Catholic Fundamentalism 4 Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women 3. Understanding the Interlinkages 8 2016 (ARROW) 1 & 2 Jalan Scott, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 4. Conclusions 27 Telephone: (603) 2273 9913/9914 Fax: (603) 2273 9916 5. Recommendations 28 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Email: [email protected] Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License. To Website: www.arrow.org.my 6. List of References 30 view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons. Facebook: The Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. for Women (ARROW) 7. Appendices 38 Twitter: @ARROW_Women Any part of the text of the publication may be photocopied, YouTube: youtube.com/user/ARROWomen reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, or adapted and translated to Production Team: meet local needs, for non-commercial and non-profit Writers: Junice L.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Religion, Politics and Sex: Contesting Catholic Teaching and Transnational Reproductive Health Norms in the Contemporary Philippines
    Religion, Politics and Sex: Contesting Catholic Teaching and Transnational Reproductive Health Norms in the Contemporary Philippines By Jonathan Tseung-Hao Chow A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Ron E. Hassner, Chair Professor Vinod K. Aggarwal Professor Jerome P. Baggett Professor Edwin M. Epstein Professor Steven Weber Fall 2011 © 2011 by Jonathan Tseung-Hao Chow All rights reserved. Abstract Religion, Politics and Sex: Contesting Catholic Teaching and Transnational Reproductive Health Norms in the Contemporary Philippines By Jonathan Tseung-Hao Chow Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science University of California, Berkeley Professor Ron E. Hassner, Chair How does religion shape transnational norms and the ways in which they are contested or adopted? Although constructivist international relations theory has made significant strides in understanding the role of norms in shaping political outcomes, there has been little research into how religion affects norm dynamics. This dissertation seeks to address this gap by developing a theory of “religious norms”, which I define as standards of proper behavior that arise from actors’ religious beliefs. I argue that while religious norms bear many similarities to secular norms, they differ in that believers understand them to emanate from the highest authority of all, that of the sacred. This can lead religious adherents to treat religious norms as having overriding importance, especially when they perceive them to be under attack from competing norms. When this happens, religious adherents can frame the religious norm as highly salient, constitutive of the faith and under threat, a process that I call “defensive sacralization”.
    [Show full text]
  • Defenders of Sexual Rights and Reproductive Rights: a Briefing Paper to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
    Defenders of Sexual Rights and Reproductive Rights: a Briefing Paper to the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Prepared by: Center for Reproductive Rights, Human Rights Watch, Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women’s Rights (CLADEM) Organizational Endorsements : Members of the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition : Amnesty International • Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) • Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) • Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) • Baobab for Women’s Human Rights • Center for Women's Global Leadership • Front Line International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (Front Line) • Human Rights First • Information Monitor (Inform) • International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) • International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) • ISIS-Women’s International Cross Cultural Exchange (ISIS-WICCE) • MADRE • Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights (UAF) • Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice (WIGJ) • Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) • World Organization Against Torture (OMCT); Other Organizational Endorsements : Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD) • CREA • International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) • International Planned Parenthood Federation – Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF – WHR) • International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW-AP) • Ipas • The People’s Decade of Human Rights Education (PDHRE), People’s Movement for Human Rights Learning
    [Show full text]
  • Voices and Choices in Reproductive Rights: Scholarship and Activism
    6 Voices and choices in reproductive rights: Scholarship and activism Sylvia Estrada-Claudio There has been a long struggle for reproductive health in the Philippines. In this chapter, I reflect on the process leading up to the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill in the Philippines in December 2012. Although there is much to be dissatisfied with in the implementation of the Bill, the process leading up to its passage in 2012 is instructive. This prompts reflection on the role of academics in promoting social change, the possibility of coalitions between academics and activists, and the importance of transnational solidarity, even in campaigns focused largely in a particular national context. Opposition to the Bill, on the part of the Catholic Church of the Philippines, also drew on international connections and communication between conservative lobby groups. Furthermore, policies on reproductive health and human rights issues have international repercussions where they weaken the efficacy of international agreements on such issues. On 13 December 2012, the House of Representatives (HOR) of the Republic of the Philippines passed, on second reading, House Bill 4244,1 better known as the RH (Reproductive Health) Bill. The passage in the HOR on second reading gave 1 The full title is An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and for Other Purposes. Hereinafter, ‘Reproductive Health Bill’ or ‘RH Bill’. 97 THE SOCIAL SCIENCES IN THE ASIAN CENTURY President Benigno Simeon Aquino III the necessary political capital to certify the Bill as urgent. This paved the way for the Philippines Senate to set aside the mandated three-day waiting period between second and third readings of its own version, An Act Providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development, and vote the Bill into law on 17 December 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Forsaken Lives:The Harmful Impact of the Philippine Criminal Abortion
    FORSAKEN LIVESThe Harmful Impact of the Philippine Criminal Abortion Ban FORSAKEN LIVES The Harmful Impact of the Philippine Criminal Abortion Ban © 2010 Center for Reproductive Rights Printed in the United States Any part of this report may be copied, translated, or adapted with permission from the authors, provided that the parts copied are distributed free or at cost (not for profit) and the Center for Reproductive Rights is acknowledged as the author. Any commercial reproduc- tion requires prior written permission from the Center for Reproductive Rights. The Center for Reproductive Rights would appreciate receiving a copy of any materi- als in which information from this report is used. Image Credits: Luis Liwanag, Photojournalist Center for Reproductive Rights 120 Wall Street, 14th Floor New York, NY 10005 United States Tel +1 917 637 3600 Fax +1 917 637 3666 [email protected] www.reproductiverights.org 2 FORSAKEN LIVES: THE HARmFuL ImPACT OF THE PHILIPPINE CRImINAL ABORTION BAN FORSAKEN LIVES: THE HARmFuL ImPACT OF THE PHILIPPINE CRImINAL ABORTION BAN 3 Table of Contents Purpose of the Report .................................................................................................................2 OUR MISSION Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the law 3 to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental Glossary and List of Common Acronyms ...............................................................................4
    [Show full text]
  • Abortion Worldwide: a Decade of Uneven Progress
    Abortion Worldwide: A Decade of Uneven Progress Abortion Worldwide: A Decade of Uneven Progress Susheela Singh Deirdre Wulf Rubina Hussain Akinrinola Bankole Gilda Sedgh Acknowledgments Abortion Worldwide: A Decade of Uneven Progress was Junice L. Demeterio-Melgar, Likhaan (Philippines); Teresa written by Susheela Singh, Rubina Hussain, Akinrinola DePiñeres, University of California, San Francisco, and Bankole and Gilda Sedgh, all of the Guttmacher Institute, Fundación Oriéntame and Fundación Educación para la and Deirdre Wulf, independent consultant. The report was Salud Reproductiva (USA and Colombia); Fariyal Fikree edited by Peter Doskoch and copyedited by Haley Ball; and Rhonda Smith, Population Reference Bureau (USA); Kathleen Randall supervised production. Beth Fredrick, formerly of the International Women’s Health Coalition (USA); Aurélie Gal and Serge Rabier, The authors thank the following colleagues for their com- Équilibres et Populations (France); Sandra Garcia, ments and help in developing this report: Elena Prada and Population Council (Mexico); Agnès Guillaume, Institut Michael Vlassoff, for reviewing the literature; Alison National d’Études Démographiques–Institut de Recherche Gemmill, for providing research support throughout the pour le Développement (France); Ana Langer, project; and Ann Biddlecom, Sharon Camp, Susan A. EngenderHealth (USA); Katarina Lindahl, Lars Olsson, Cohen, Leila Darabi, Patricia Donovan, Stanley K. Christina Rogala and Ann Svensén, Swedish Association Henshaw, Ann Moore, Cory L. Richards and Gustavo for Sexuality Education (Sweden); Roland Edgar Mhlanga, Suárez, for reviewing drafts of the report. Special thanks Nelson Mandela School of Medicine (South Africa); Joana are due to Jacqueline E. Darroch and Stanley Henshaw Nerquaye-Tetteh, Planned Parenthood Association of for assistance with data interpretation and to Evert Ghana (retired; Ghana); Friday Okonofua, Women’s Ketting for providing data from various European coun- Health Action and Resource Centre (Nigeria); Boniface tries.
    [Show full text]