International – REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ALERTS

12 Apr

Abortion rates remain stable in Ontario despite global spike

MollyInternational, Latest News2020-2022, abortion rates, England, Global, Ontario, Scotland, Wales

"A new study finds that, unlike countries across the UK and Europe, abortion rates did not spike in Ontario, Canada from 2020-2022. Following decades-long declines in nearly all high-income settings, abortion rate trends reversed between 2020 and 2022 in many countries. For example, 2022 and 2023 saw the highest abortion rates on record in Scotland, England, and Wales....."

07 Apr

Romania Rowing Back on Women’s Right to Abortion: Report

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Ban, Abortion Care, Abortion News, Abortion Rights, Health care, rights rollback, romania

“A report by Human Rights Watch, released on Monday, says women and girls in Romania face increasing obstacles to the full exercise of their legal rights to contraception and abortion. “Women and girls in Romania face an increasingly hostile landscape, as they seek to make decisions about their own bodies and health care,” Song Ah Lee, author of the report, said. “The Romanian authorities are not only failing to uphold sexual and reproductive health rights but are often enabling efforts to block women and girls from exercising these rights,” the report claims….”

23 Feb

Yukon’s only dedicated abortion clinic to lose current space

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Care, Abortion Clinic, Canada, Health care, Relocation, Whitehorse, Yukon

"The Opal Clinic is currently embedded with the obstetrics, gynecology and sexual health clinics at the Whitehorse General Hospital. Now, both of those clinics are moving to a new location downtown. Opal says the space that's been offered to them is too small...."

15 Feb

JD Vance abortion buffer zone comments ‘dangerous’

MollyInternational, Latest News, United StatesAbortion Care, Abortion Rights, Buffer Zones, Health care, Health Care Providers, Misinformation, Reproductive Health Care, Scotland, United States, Vance, Vice President

"The American Vice-President JD Vance has been accused of "spreading misinformation" about buffer zones at abortion clinics in Scotland. In a speech at the Munich Security Conference Vance claimed people who live within safe access zones had been sent letters by the Scottish government warning them about praying within their homes. The Safe Access Zones Act came into force last September and prevents protestors gathering within 200m (656ft) of clinics that perform abortions...."

01 Feb

Manitoba law that restricts protests near abortion clinics comes into effect

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion clinics, anti-abortion protests, Bill, buffer zone, Canada, Manitoba, ndp

"A new Manitoba law restricting protests near clinics and hospitals where abortions are performed is to take effect Saturday. The NDP government introduced a bill last year that creates buffer zones of between 50 and 150 metres around such health facilities, as well as the homes of abortion providers...."

06 Jan

More Iranian women forced into illegal abortions

MollyInternational, Latest NewsIllegal abortions, Iran, reproductive health care restrictions, Restricted abortion access

"Although Iranian authorities have widely restricted access to abortion in an attempt to reverse demographic decline, more women are going outside the law to end unwanted pregnancies. According to figures from the Iranian Ministry of Health reported by the Khabaronline news website in June 2024, over 600,000 illegal abortions are performed annually in Iran. Experts say poverty, joblessness, and lack of social security are contributing factors forcing women to undergo an abortion despite serious risks...."

06 Jan

Quebec launches action plan to improve access to abortion, protect women’s right to choose

MollyInternationalAbortion Access, Abortion Care, action plan, Canada, Healthcare, Quebec, Right to choose

"Quebec has introduced its first-ever action plan aimed at improving access to abortion in the province and reaffirming women's right to choose, particularly in light of the setbacks to reproductive rights unfolding in the United States. Martine Biron, minister responsible for the status of women, announced the Plan d'action gouvernemental sur l'accès à l'avortement 2024-2027 on Monday, saying this plan responds to women's concerns about the protection of their rights...."

06 Dec

Conservatives decry ‘procedural nonsense’ as NDP forces House debate on abortion

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Access, Abortion Rights, Canada, conservatives, house debate, liberal, ndp, Reproductive Health Care, three-party system, womens health care

“A surprise tactical move by the NDP forced a debate in the House of Commons on abortion access Thursday, sidelining a Conservative motion designed to use NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's own words against him. Just ahead of the time set for the Conservative motion to come up, NDP MP Heather McPherson changed the channel by launching into a debate on a foreign affairs committee report tabled in the House Thursday…”

03 Dec

Zimbabwe court rules against law that denies abortion to marital rape victims and girls below 18

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Care, Court, Health care, legislation, Minors, Reproductive care, Ruling, Sexual Assault, victims, zimbabwe

“A law prohibiting abortion services for women raped by their husbands and girls under the age of 18 is unconstitutional, Zimbabwe’s High Court has ruled. In his ruling handed down on Nov. 22 and made public this week, Judge Maxwell Takuva said since Zimbabwe’s laws already criminalize marital rape and sex with a minor, victims should be allowed to abort if they become pregnant….”

16 Nov

Do Abortion Pills Expire? What To Know About Stockpiling the Drugs

MollyInternational, Latest News, United StatesAbortion Care, Abortion Pills, Expiration, Health care, mifepristone, Plan B, Planned Parenthood, Reproductive rights

"Last year, the majority of abortions in the United States were conducted using the abortion pills mifepristone and misoprostol.1 Demand for these medications surged after Donald Trump was elected to a second term, driven by fears that his administration would impose further restrictions on reproductive care. Currently, many Americans can get abortion pills by mail, even in states that have abortion restrictions.2 The abortion pills are 87–99% effective, depending on the timing and dosage.3 “Abortion, including use of abortion pills at home, is very safe. What’s dangerous is stigma and policies that restrict people from accessing reproductive health care,” Robin Wallace,…

14 Nov

Nova Scotia election: Why are abortion rights being brought up?

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Rights, Campaign, Canada, Nova Scotia, US influence

“While abortion has been legal in Canada for decades, it’s not stopping Canadian politicians from following their American counterparts by using reproductive care as a political tool. Heidi Petracek explains why abortion rights are coming up on the campaign trail in Nova Scotia’s provincial election…”

08 Nov

New Brunswick to allow medicare to pay for surgical abortions outside hospitals

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Care, Canada, Health care, Holt Government, Medicare, New Brunswick, Surgical Abortions

"Surgical abortions administered outside hospitals in New Brunswick will now be fully funded by medicare, Premier Susan Holt announced Thursday, reversing a controversial rule from 1984 that limited the procedure’s availability across the province. Before the change, the government would only cover the cost of the surgical procedures if they were performed in one of three hospitals. Holt, whose Liberals came to power in an election last month, said her government’s decision is an important first step to improve abortion access. “We believe that abortion is health care, and that everyone deserves access to the care that they need, when…

01 Nov

Why the American abortion debate is affecting access in Kenya

MollyInternational, Latest News, United StatesAbortion Access, Abortion Care, abortion debate, Health care, Kenya, Reproductive care, United States

“Abortion is a closely watched issue in this year's election, and not just in the U.S. As president, Trump cut funding for international groups that offer and counsel on abortion services. With support from The Pulitzer Center, special correspondent Neha Wadekar reports from Kenya where advocates are watching for who wins. A warning, this story contains accounts of sexual and gender-based violence….”

01 Nov

Anti-abortion campaigner Joanna Howe banned from parts of South Australia’s parliament over alleged ‘threatening’ tactics

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAnti-abortion, anti-abortion activist, Anti-Choice, Australia, banned, parliament, threatening tactics

“Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe has been banned from parts of South Australia's upper house, with parliament told she allegedly insulted, intimidated and threatened MPs on the night of a vote about late-term abortion law. Dr Howe has hit back at the ban, calling it a "total abuse of power" which she would "strongly contest going forward"….”

18 Sep

Buffer zones set to come in around abortion clinics

MollyInternational, Latest NewsAbortion Care, Abortion clinics, Abortion Legislation, Abortion Rights, buffer zone, England, protection zone, Wales

“Buffer zones will come into force around abortion clinics in England and Wales from 31 October. It will make it illegal to hand out anti-abortion leaflets within the buffer zone or obstruct anyone using or working at an abortion clinic. The protection zones, which will prohibit protest, will extend to a 150-metre radius around abortion services and those convicted of breaking the new law will face an unlimited fine.”