Abortion stigma affects everyone: individuals, communities and service providers. Young women and adolescent girls bear the brunt of abortion stigma. It causes delays in people seeking abortion and stops others from accessing it, leading to unintended pregnancies. Stigma drives abortion underground, where it is more likely to be unsafe. Since 2014, the support of the David & Lucile Packard Foundation has enabled IPPF to reduce abortion stigma affecting young people around the world, working directly with Member Associations in six countries (Bénin, Burkina Faso, India, Pakistan, Ghana and Nepal). Meaningful youth participation has ensured that young people’s lived experiences were central in every aspect of this work. This project has also supported smaller ground-breaking youth-led projects in 14 different countries: Albania, Colombia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Macedonia, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestine, Puerto Rico, Sierra Leone, Spain, Tanzania and Venezuela. This document highlights the achievements and learnings from the Abortion Stigma Project between 2014 and 2020, including case studies, research and evidence generated around abortion stigma, and popular resources and tools developed throughout the project, and more. We invite you to read more on this ground-breaking work in Reducing Abortion Stigma: Global Achievements since 2014

During the COVID-19 pandemic, women globally face compounded barriers to accessing safe abortion care. The de-prioritization of sexual and reproductive health services including abortion care, overwhelmed health systems, restrictions on movement and fear of visiting health facilities have all created additional challenges for women to safely end a pregnancy. However, recognizing the need to adapt to ensure women have access to the care they need, this crisis has sparked innovation among IPPF Member Associations. They developed new approaches to reach women with safe abortion information and care, while keeping women’s choice and quality of care at the centre of their work.  This document illustrates some of the innovative approaches used to ensure continued access to quality abortion care during the pandemic.  

The world is facing stronger and longer natural disasters, protracted complex emergencies, conflicts and epidemics. These humanitarian crises can expose weakness in health systems, with particularly serious consequences for women and girls in need of reproductive health care. To improve the quality and availability of post‑abortion care during a flood, the University of Leicester and International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region (IPPF-SAR), in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, developed and measured the impact of an integrated intervention package, called RHCC. First tested in a flood-prone area of Bangladesh, this novel approach includes: i) Pre-positioning medicines and supplies, using the UNFPA’s Inter-Agency Reproductive Health Kit 8; ii) Capacity building of service providers; and iii) Community awareness raising. Supported by IPPF's Innovation Programme, the project aligns with IPPF’s commitment to ensuring that crisis-affected populations receive timely, quality, life-saving, gender-responsive and inclusive sexual and reproductive health services.  

The way abortion is presented in the media can have a major influence on a person's opinion on abortion. This guide has been written for those working in the media to encourage accurate reporting of the facts about abortion, and honest portrayals of abortion as part of real people’s lives and relationships. Produced in collaboration with the International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion.  

Many sex workers in Uganda end up having unwanted pregnancies often resorting to unsafe abortions. There are many myths and misconceptions about contraception as well as a lack of access. This issue was one of the reasons why Lady Mermaid's Bureau (LMB), a sex workers rights organisation from Kampala, decided to apply for a grant from the Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) in 2013.  Founded in 2002 by a group of former sex workers, the Lady Mermaid's Bureau, the first organization of its kind in the region, works to prevent and reduce unsafe abortions amongst sex workers in Uganda and campaigns to decriminalize abortion and sex work.  The Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) which is hosted by IPPF was set up in 2006 in order to support grass-roots organisations to increase access to safe abortion.  Photography © IPPF/Tommy Trenchard

In the three years since the VODA Uganda project started there have been some incredible results. The project has brought about changes in perceptions about abortion in the community and schools, bringing community leaders and health workers on board, explaining the problems of unsafe abortion and directing girls and women to post-abortion care services. VODA (volunteers of development assistance) is a local, grassroots project funded by the Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF). The Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) which is hosted by IPPF, was set up in 2006 in order to support grass-roots organisations to increase access to safe abortion.  Photography © IPPF/Tommy Trenchard