Unsafe abortions
Every year 22 million women globally have unsafe abortions and up to 44,000 die from the complications. Five million women face serious, lifelong health problems as a result of an unsafe abortion.
Women should have the right to choose about their own lives and bodies, including whether or not to have a child, and receive the necessary support to realise these choices safely. It is crucial for every person – regardless of their age or marital status – to get information about sexuality and have access to contraception and safe abortion.
Ambitious targets and impressive results
By the end of 2021, we aim to have prevented 160,000 unintended pregnancies and 2.6 million unsafe abortions worldwide, saving 8,000 women’s lives.
While ambitious, we are exceeding these targets. At the end of 2020, we had already prevented over 3.6 million unsafe abortions and 10,000 maternal deaths worldwide. We have also exceeded our target of reaching more than 2 million women with mHealth or online solutions.
Halfway through the programme, impressive results had already been achieved.
Safe abortion methods
She Makes Her Safe Choice makes safe abortion methods – medical abortion pills and Ipas manual vacuum aspirators – widely available and affordable. We also distribute contraceptives, giving women and girls quality options to prevent unintended pregnancies.
Through our partner DKT WomanCare Global’s platform, manual vacuum aspirators will be distributed to 90 countries by the end of 2021. The platform also provides information and training to distributors on correct use of manual vacuum aspirators as a safe abortion method, and on improving the quality of care.
Awareness
She Makes Her Safe Choice creates awareness among communities and individuals. It provides information on prevention and safe termination of unintended pregnancies. We refer people to quality products and services through behaviour change campaigns and mHealth (health services supported by mobile devices).
Advocacy
We also advocate for a more conducive legal and political environment for safe abortion. For example, through the approval and implementation of national standards and guidelines.
The programme looks to inspire other countries to adopt these approaches, so more women and young people are aware of their options and safe abortion becomes increasingly available.
The Dutch Postcode Lottery funds the programme, showing courage and leadership in supporting a sensitive issue few donors dare to invest in.