Ibis Reproductive Health, with support from Ipas Africa Southern Region, Amaze.org, Accountability International, Sonke Gender Justice, the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition (SRJC), the mmoho campaign, SECTION27, together with other feminist movements, social justice organisations working on health rights and allies, will commemorate International Safe Abortion Day (ISAD) on the 28th September 2024 with a march. The march is set to provide the public with information on safe and legal abortion facilities, by placing QR coded stickers of this information on top of placards advertising illegal abortion services.
This year’s theme – #AbortionSolidarity in our communities – speaks to letting communities lead, with
literacy and support from technical partners in advancing access to safe and legal abortions timeously.
The march will demand safe, high quality abortion care and reproductive justice for all. A petition will
be launched on the 28th of September, demanding that our public representatives develop stronger
regulations against the advertisement of illegal and unsafe abortion. Data shows that despite South
Africa having key legislation such as the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, between 12 and
26 percent of abortions are administered by illegal (and often unsafe) providers in the country.
Media is invited to attend the march as follows:
Where: Old Fort Parade Ground, Constitution Hill, Braamfontein
Date: 28 September 2024
Time: 10h00 to 14h00
The march will move through Braamfontein and surrounding areas, taking down illegal abortion
advertisements and replacing them with information on where to access safe, high quality abortions
throughout the city. While we recognise that we have a role to play in dissemination of this
information, we call on the government to strengthen their efforts in providing this vital information
to the public.
The march will end with a briefing at Constitution Hill’s Grand Parade Ground, by SRHR activists
and representatives from partner organisations who will be on hand to engage the media.
While South Africa’s legal framework has ensured the fundamental right to abortion care, we recognise
that the reality in our communities is not always reflective of that. We recognise the major
impediments that are currently facing women who want to access safe abortion services, including
stigma, play a key role in the proliferation of illegal abortions outside of formal health settings.
Furthermore, according to a 2023 report by SECTION27 titled “Abortion Services in the Eastern Cape”,
there were several other barriers to accessing safe abortions. These included “the inaccurate
designation of second trimester abortion facilities, [an] insufficient number of abortion providers to
meet the demand for the service, inadequately trained abortion providers, lack of equipment for timely
provision of the service, and shortages in abortion medicines.” These are echoed in a 2024 study by
the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition (SRJC), which also found legal complexities and
administrative practices related to “refusal to care” were barriers. Worryingly, mifepristone, which is
critical for partially self-managed abortions (together with misoprostol) has had significant stockouts.
The SECTION27 report also found that 10 of the 13 facilities monitored in the province had only
one abortion provider, despite them collectively being approached by an average of 1,200 women
seeking abortions every month for first trimester abortions. In addition, only two out of the five
facilities designated to offer abortion services beyond 13 weeks gestation across the province were
able to do so.
In 2023, Ibis conducted a mixed method study with adolescent girls aged 12 to 17 in Gauteng to
determine their knowledge and experiences with Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services and
the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, which governs abortion. This study showed that 22%
of participants had experienced an unplanned pregnancy, and were more aware of ways to end a
pregnancy using unsafe abortion methods, as opposed to safe abortion methods. Furthermore, stigma
from healthcare workers (HCW) was identified as a recurring issue contributing to both unplanned
adolescent pregnancy and unsafe abortion, and participants explained they avoid accessing care at
clinics largely to avoid the treatment they receive from nurses when seeking contraceptives or abortion
services. Ibis plans to release these findings in the near future.
African context
We stand in solidarity with other women across the continent, calling for access to safe abortion
services.
According to Haile, Abraha et al, there was a 16% prevalence of induced abortion across the African
continent (or 160 out of 1000), which is higher than study results across the globe. Despite the Maputo
Protocol affording women access to abortion services in albeit limited circumstances across all 55
countries in the African Union since 2005, societal stigma remains rife across the continent. Data
collected between 2010 and 2014 showed that Africa accounted for 29 percent of all unsafe abortions
worldwide, and 62 percent of all related deaths.
Global context
We decry the abortion bans that have been instituted in about half the states in the United States since
the overturning of Roe v Wade in 2022. These bans have put millions of peoples’ lives at risk. In the
last month alone, two Black women in Georgia—Amber Thurman and Candi Miller—died as a result
of the state’s six-week abortion ban and systemic medical neglect. These stories are unfortunately not
uncommon as access to safe abortion care becomes harder and harder to reach in many states across
the United States. At the same time, we praise abortion funds, clinics, advocates, doulas, providers,
and logistical support organisations, whose material, technical and financial support has allowed
people who would otherwise not be able to access this fundamental right do so. Their efforts have
resulted in safe abortions increasing by 26% in states without total bans.
As we commemorate this year, we are cognisant of the growing negative context most women face when accessing this right with the rise of the anti-progressive forces globally. According to the WHO,
almost 50 percent of abortions globally are unsafe, as a result of legal, societal and clinical barriers to
access to safe abortion services. We believe that much stronger local and international solidarity is
needed to repel anti-progressive forces and ensure legal and local contexts that allow for women to
exercise their agency.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Ngqabutho Nceku Mpofu on ngqabutho.mpofu@gmail.com or +27618076443.
Jewelle Methazia, Ibis Reproductive Health on jmethazia@ibisreproductivehealth.org
Pearl Nicodemus, Communications Officer – Media Liaison, SECTION27 on
nicodemus@section27.org.za or +27822982636
Dr Jess Rucell, Secretary, Sexual Reproductive Justice Coalition (SRJC) on jess.rucell@gmail.com or
+27609600555
Duduetsang Mmeti, Senior Communications Manager, Ibis Reproductive Health on
dmmeti@ibisreproductivehealth.org or +27780889294
Notes to editors:
Ibis Reproductive Health launched the mmoho Sexual and Reproductive Health toll-free Helpline on
1 December 2023, on Word Aids Day. The Helpline is particularly useful as it is one of the few toll-
free Helplines that provides safe abortion referral services. The Helpline also provides the following
SRH information and referral services to young people:
- Pregnancy & contraceptive services;
- Menstrual health care;
- HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and testing services;
- GBV, sexual abuse helpdesks, and trauma support services;
- Male sexual and reproductive health services, including circumcision
- Mental health and well-being support services.
You can contact the Helpline on 080 001 4597.
You can also join the conversation on International Safe Abortion Day using the hashtags
ISAD2024 and #AbortionSolidarity. You can also tag partner organisations on X: @IbisRH,
@IpasOrg, @add_your_voice, @SRJC, @SonkeTogether, @SECTION27news, @WLCCapeTown
This statement has been endorsed by:
- SECTION27
- Accountability International
- Ipas ASR
- Y+SA
- Sonke Gender Justice
- Abortion Network South Africa
- Sexual Reproductive Justice Coalition
- Women’s Legal Centre
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