As Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Day of safe abortion, the Women’s Probono Initiative express concern over the restrictions and criminalization of abortion in the country. These laws have put the lives of women and girls at risk of severe complications and death.
This is because they cannot freely visit health centers to undergo the abortion process. Instead, they often turn to unqualified personnel, herbalists, and individuals who claim to have knowledge on the subject, which ultimately leads to complications. Many of these women have died as a result of seeking help from such sources.
In this context, the Women’s Probono Initiative organized a live podcast conversation to commemorate International Safe Abortion Day and discuss the topic of abortion. The conversation focused on where the country has gone wrong regarding abortion issues and what needs to be done, among other related matters.
During the podcast, Misheline Mutuzo, a law student and advocate, shared her experience of narrowly escaping abortion. She described the emotional turmoil of contemplating the procedure while facing a dilemma due to the fear of the consequences of opening up on her thought on abortion. Although she ultimately decided not to abort, she noted that many of her friends have died or suffered complications from unsafe, underground abortions. They often fear seeking post abortion care due to the associated stigma.
She noted that this is a critical moment when people are beginning to listen and understand abortion issues. Therefore, there is a need to localize people centered approaches to ensure that abortion services reach women and girls wherever they are needed, to help them seek for abortion services confidently.
One gynecologist, Dr. Othiniel Musana, acknowledged that while the government criminalizes abortion, post-abortion care is still provided. He expressed that the best they can do as medical personnel is to manage the care of these women and girls after they have undergone an abortion. They focus on offering post abortion care to ensure that abortion victims do not return with the same complications.
He noted that due to the lack of policies guiding health practitioners on abortion issues, they rely on accepted medical indications when providing care. However, when clients seek abortions, they advise them on the reasons for considering the continuation of the pregnancy. If women or girls insist on proceeding, they direct them to safer hands where they can access post abortion care.
The acting Program manager for Strategic Litigation at CEHURD, Ruth Ajaro, noted that out of every 100 women who die following an abortion, 25% are under 24 years old and are dying from abortion related complications. She expressed that discussions about abortion are a journey that requires collective effort and engagement with cultural leaders to achieve a common goal.
The Deputy Director of WPI, Rose Wakikona, indicated that 5% of maternal deaths in the country are due to abortion, as women and girls often resort to unsafe, underground procedures. Additionally, around 20,000 women seek abortion care services after the fact. She emphasized that this issue needs to be prioritized, along with funding and legal reforms.
She added that criminalizing abortion has forced women and girls to avoid health centers where they could receive post-abortion care, putting their lives at risk in the hands of unskilled service providers and traditional doctors who often do more harm than good.
However, Rose expressed dissatisfaction over how women’s bodies are controlled within the sexual and reproductive health system, noting that men are guided on what to do but are not criminalized for their actions.
Similarly, Ruth Mumbi, the Executive Director of Women Collective Kenya, emphasized the need to engage cultural leaders by providing them with information and raising awareness about abortion. She revealed that in Kenya, they are organizing a tournament titled “Kick Abortion Stigma Away,” aimed at creating awareness about abortion. Additionally, they are bringing together a group of individuals for training to help them understand the politics surrounding abortion, including a group of cultural elders among those trained.
