Leila HessiniDirector, Community Engagement and

MobilizationIpas

December 14, 2010

21 2 million unsafe ach year – affecting >100 million women during their reproductive lifetimes

47000 deaths per year, 93% in Africa and South-central Asia

Over half of deaths are young women <24

Source: WHO, 2008

Estimated annual numbers of Estimated annual numbers of unsafe abortions (2008 Total = unsafe abortions (2008 Total =

21.2 million21.2 millionLatin Latin

America America andand

CaribbeanCaribbean4.2 million4.2 million

AfricaAfrica6.1 million6.1 million

AsiaAsia10.8 10.8

millionmillion

EuropeEurope0.3 million0.3 million

(Source: WHO, 2008

Close to 40% of pregnancies are unplanned

80 million unintended pregnancies each year (27 million as a result of method failure or ineffective use)

Preventing unintended is critical to reducing unsafe abortions

14 million unintended in Africa Various factors: sexual violence,

pregnancy outside of marriage, lack of knowledge, access to or use of contraception

1/3rd of all unintended end of abortedAge pattern of unintended

pregnancies is changing – many more young women

In addition to death, unsafe abortion can lead to: •1.7 million hospitalized annually

•Significant short- and long-term illness and injury to women

•Infertility

•Negative impacts on women, families, children, and communities

•Increased likelihood of death among children whose mother has died

Without Restriction as to ReasonSocioeconomic GroundsTo Preserve Mental HealthTo Preserve Physical Health Legally Permitted to Save a Woman's Life

Treatment for unsafe abortion costs health systems up to $1 billion per year

OB/GYN hospital capacity often overwhelmed by post-abortion patients

Post-abortion care significantly more expensive than safe abortion (or contraception)

Unsafe abortion can also reflect the overall quality of health systems.

WHO; Guttmacher

Analysis of medieval Arabic texts

Compiling supportive fatwas Supporting women religious leaders

Legal and policy reformHealth system changeNetworking across regions

Coitus interruptus encouraged others as long as there was mutual consent.

Abortion: debates regarding pregnant women’s circumstances; fetal age and analysis of if more harm would be caused by continuing or by ending the pregnancy.

Maternal life carried precedence over that of the foetus at least until “ensoulment” defined as occurring anywhere between 40, 90 or 120 days.

Abortions after ensoulment were prohibited unless there was “just cause” – usually defined as saving a women’s life or their health

The lives of existing children were also considered more important than that of the fetus; breast-feeding women or mothers who could not afford another child were allowed to terminate a pregnancy.

Algeria (1998) rape victims of Islamist violence

Egypt (1998) for unmarried women who had been raped

Saudi Arabia (1991) and Iran (2005) in cases of fetal abnormalities

Indonesia (2004) rape and incest

Training women - mourshidat – Islamic scholars and spiritual guides

Working through the pesantren, - Muslim boarding schools – to incorporate information on SRHR into school curricula

Building global networks – musawah - gender equality in Islam

Islam is a strong presence in women’s lives, but it does not necessarily govern women’s everyday reproductive and sexual choices

Women often rely on their belief in God’s compassion rather than on the opinions of religious authorities.

Women may simultaneously believe that abortion is “harem” but yet necessary and even justified

Young and unmarried women experience much more shame and stigma

Women’s social networks are an important source of information, transportation and resources for women seeking abortion care.

Tunisia: and Tunisia: 1973 and 1982Algeria (1985) and Benin (2003)Burkina Faso (1996) and Chad

(2002)Djibouti (1995) and Guinea (2000) Indonesia (1992) Iran (1991), Kuwait

(1981), Mali (2002) Niger (2006),Pakistan (1990), Saudi Arabia (1990)

Sudan (1993) and Togo (2007).

Menstrual regulation Medical abortion Training midlevel providers and

midwives Ensuring that women have knowledge,

skills and ability to obtain safe abortion services

Ensuring that women have safe abortion information and care in their communities

Compile existing resources into a database and toolkit

Develop training and capacity-building curricula for community education

Engender awareness and support from religious leaders and individuals at community level

Share experiences across countries (study tours)

AboutLaw and Policy

Gender & Rights

Country – Specific

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Drop-Down Lists maybe

We could use these side tabs to reorganize the resources in another conceptual manner, if need be, for example: Abortion, FP, Contraceptives, ETC.

Standard contact links at the bottom

SRH and Islam