September 28, marks the launch of the International Day of Action for September 28: Global Campaign for the Decriminalisation of Abortion. September 28th, known as the Latin American and Caribbean Day of Action for the Decriminalisation Abortion, continues to be a day of vibrant activism in the region with women's organisations and their allies coming together to demand access to safe, legal, and affordable abortion free of stigmatisation and criminalisation. The campaign was formed at the Fifth Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Meeting held in Argentina in 1990. September 28th was chosen for the campaign as it was the day that slavery became illegal in Brazil, with many refering to it as the day of the "free womb." Although abortion is permitted under a limited set of restrictions by most countries in the region, such as in cases of rape and incest, millions of women continue to undergo unsafe, illegal abortions with great risk to their lives.
This year the September 28th Latin American and Caribbean Campaign is being joined by WGNRR members, partners, and networks in several countries across the world as part of the September 28: Global Campaign for the Decriminalisation of Abortion. Today, SRHR networks and organisations in Poland, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nepal, and Japan are mobilising in their communities and building awareness about the impact of restrictive abortion laws, lack of adequate abortion services, and barriers to accessing those services- all of which are violations of their human rights.
We invite the international community of SRHR activists to join the September 28: Global Campaign for the Decriminalisation of Abortion by sending solidarity letters to six countries that are in need of international support. Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic continue to uphold the complete ban on abortion in any circumstances, even if it is necessary to save the life of the woman. Currently in Colombia 99% of abortions performed in the country remain illegal and occur in unsafe conditions despite Colombia's 2006 Constitutional Court ruling that legalised abortion in certain circumstances. Poland already has some of the strictest abortion restrictions in Europe and continues to run the risk of instigating a complete ban on abortion in all circumstances due to increasing conservative pressure.
Show your solidarity and support with local, national, regional, and international struggles for reproductive justice:
1) Sign the solidarity letters for Poland and Latin America and the Carribean – the letters are intended to the heads of states and the affiliated embassies/consulates of Chile, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Colombia; the other is for the head of state and affiliated embassies/consulates of Poland.
2) Send the letters to the representatives of the six countries in separate emails. Dowload the list of embassies and governments’ contact details. If the countries does not have diplomatic representation in your county, please use the general government/head of state email address mentioned at the top of each list for each country.
3) Please send a copy (cc) of your support signature to sept28global@wgnrr.org
Let us continue sending letters to governments whose countries have the most restrictive abortion laws for the NEXT WEEK to show our support for sexual and reproductive rights to be recognised and upheld as universal, indivisible human rights!
Recognise Reproductive Rights, Mobilise for Reproductive Justice!
Please circulate this call widely amounst your networks, allies, and communities. We greatly appreciate your support!
In Solidarity,
The WGNRR Team
Download the documents here:
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