Abortion Access for All

At Ipas, we believe that abortion is a human right—a life-saving service that everyone should have access to.  Extensive research shows that when abortion is legal, available, and affordable, women and girls can better overcome obstacles to gender equity and realize their full potential. With the help of your support, when we work for abortion access, we're working for so much more. As Women's History Month ends, we thought we would share a few of the ways that abortion access helps close the gender gap and examples of what Ipas is doing to help.

• Abortion access enables women and girls to pursue and sustain their education, breaking down barriers to academic achievement and promoting gender equity in educational opportunities. Multiple studies link legal abortion to increased high school graduation and college attendance for women and girls. In Kenya, Ipas partners with Entashata, a community-based organization that provides sexual and reproductive health and sexuality education for youth. Aimed at breaking the stigma around family planning, these programs enhance access to health and socio-economic rights. The organization’s commitment to education resulted in an annual campaign to enroll boys and girls in schools, resulting in over 50 girls supported in completing their secondary education.
• Abortion access helps women secure and retain employment, break free from poverty cycles, and exercise autonomy in family planning decisions. This fosters greater economic independence for women and gender parity in the workforce, translating into a stronger economy for all. Migrant workers at factories in Myanmar often have to resort to unsafe abortion to keep their jobs and livelihoods. Ipas offers them other options by sharing vital health information through an outreach project built around small group discussions on such topics as abortion, contraception, and sexual health. Women who previously had not received any sex education are now accessing contraceptives and sharing their knowledge with their friends and coworkers.
• Abortion access makes it easier for women to leave unhealthy or violent relationships and avoid being trapped by an unplanned pregnancy. When abortion is available and affordable to more people, it also reduces gender-based violence by providing women with the means to control their reproductive lives and make decisions about their future. Thanks to advocacy by Ipas and partners in Nigeria, the federal Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act will now help ensure that survivors of gender-based violence get the quality abortion care they need—and legally protect their right to this care.

As a supporter of Ipas, you’re not just ensuring people have access to contraception and abortion. You’re making sure that women and girls can stay in school, that they can remain financially independent, and that they have the freedom to leave abusive relationships. We know that access to abortion is an important part of building an equitable world and we’re grateful to you for joining us in our mission. Together, we’re making strides towards equity.