Thousands of people around the world joined protests in support of safe abortion on September 28. In some countries, for example in Colombia, the mobilization took place after the women’s movement secured progress in the field of sexual and reproductive health rights. Protesters in the United States, on the other hand, marched in a situation where the right to abortion is under attack. We bring a snapshot of this year’s International Safe Abortion Day in our photo gallery.
Only hours after the demonstrations took place, the Supreme Court of India affirmed that all women are entitled to safe and legal abortion. The ruling includes the recognition of marital rape, as well as an expanded interpretation of reproductive rights.
In Argentina, abortion was legalized almost two years ago thanks to a strong feminist movement. Pablo Rall, a family physician in Buenos Aires, reflects on the changes in access to abortion that health workers observed since 2020.
In other events, People’s Health Dispatch spent a day with the staff of Medics for the People’s (MPLP’s) health center in Deurne, Antwerp, to learn about their bond. And, in Serbia, years of disinvestment and a prolonged absence of sound health workforce policies, patients continue to struggle for access to healthcare. During COVID-19, the shortage of workers meant that many key health services remained unavailable, particularly to the poor and the working class.
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