- In 2024, 130,166 women and other pregnant women in Latin America and the Caribbean gained access to safe abortion through the different pathways supported by Ipas LAC.
- 2,381 health professionals received training in the provision of abortion and contraceptive services.
- And 1,679,844 people received information about abortion and sexual and reproductive health through support networks supported by Ipas LAC.
Advancing access to safe abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean remains a priority, which is why Ipas LAC’s work seeks to ensure safe and free access to reproductive health care in the region. This May, the organization presented its 2024 Annual Report “We flourish in freedom and enjoyment,” where it shares and celebrates achievements on the road to equality, social justice and reproductive autonomy.
In 2024, through partnerships with civil society organizations, networks of female escorts, health-care providers and activists, Ipas LAC strengthened and built alliances for access to safe abortion and contraception. Efforts continue so that all women and people with capacity can make reproductive decisions with autonomy, freedom and freedom from stigma.
“The road to guaranteeing safe and comprehensive access to abortion is still under construction in Latin America and the Caribbean, but the progress we have made gives us the impetus to continue our collective work and ensure that this essential health service is recognized, respected and accessible to all women and pregnant women who require it,” says Karen Padilla, associate director of Programs at Ipas LAC.
Progress in Latin America and the Caribbean
With support from activists, partners, health professional societies and donors, Ipas LAC helped transform the lives of more women and people who are able to bear children:
- 111,555 women and persons with gestational capacity obtained access to safe abortion in health facilities (hospitals and health centers) in 8 countries in the region: Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.
- 18,611 women and people with gestational capacity received safe abortion counseling through 15 networks in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua.
- 215,983 women and persons of childbearing capacity obtained access to contraceptive methods in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.
- 57 health units were supported in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
- 2,381 health professionals strengthened their knowledge and skills for the provision of abortion and contraceptive services in the region.
- 341 members of partner organizations expanded their knowledge and skills in reproductive health, abortion and contraception in Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.
- 1,679,844 people received information on reproductive health through civil society organizations and networks of companions in the region.
The Power of Narratives for Safe Abortion
Accurate, clear and accessible information about safe abortion can help dispel doubts, combat stigma and contribute to the normalization of this procedure as part of the right to health. That’s why, in September 2024, Ipas LAC conducted the I Don’t Know If I Should Have an Abortion or Not campaign in collaboration with 16 organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. During 24 hours of uninterrupted broadcast, specialists answered more than 400 questions live and addressed issues related to safe abortion, making it the longest live broadcast in history dedicated to this topic.
- More than 4,500 people from 49 countries connected to the broadcast, demonstrating the urgency and relevance of talking about abortion without fear or stigma.
- To further expand access to reliable information, the following website has been created https://nosesiabortarono.org/was created, where questions continue to be answered and guidance provided.
Abortion will only be safe when countries ensure universal access with adequate supplies, a trained workforce that meets established clinical guidelines, and services that are stigma-free, respectful of human rights and responsive to community needs. In the past year, Ipas LAC conducted more than 50 training sessions in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico with abortion providers to reinforce knowledge about quality and access to this health procedure.
“For the Orinoquia Regional Hospital, this accompaniment and the work that the professionals from Ipas Latin America and the Caribbean have been doing is very important. Training sessions were held, the first one was with all the OB/GYN staff, physicians, instrumentalist nurses, related to the use of the MVA (…). With the support we have been able to clarify many doubts, we updated the protocol of care.
-Testimony of health personnel from the Hospital Regional de la Orinoquia, Colombia.
In addition, Ipas LAC worked with 44 organizations and 23 support networks in the region to inform and raise awareness about comprehensive sexuality education, contraceptive use, violence prevention, and access to sexual health services and safe abortion.
The full report, available on the link: transformingtheworld.ipaslac.orgbreaks down progress on the eight components that make up the sustainable abortion ecosystem model that guides Ipas LAC’s work:
- Knowledge and agency of each person
- Social norms and community support
- Health information
- Workforce and health care delivery
- Inputs
- Financing
- Political support and leadership
- Policies and legislation
“Here and around the world we have sown a seed that for years has been watered with courage, determination, unity and hope. That seed has germinated into a powerful movement for reproductive justice, with roots that cling to collective memory, stems that resist any onslaught, and fruits that announce that freedom and joy are not only possible, but inevitable.”
Excerpt from “A Bountiful Harvest,” a collectively-constructed position in the context of the publication of Ipas LAC’s Annual Report 2024, available at: https://transformandoelmundo.ipaslac.org/2025/05/07/una-cosecha-abundante/
About Ipas LAC
Ipas Latin America and the Caribbean (Ipas LAC) is a regional organization that is part of an international nonprofit network working in the Americas, Africa and Asia to ensure that all women and people of childbearing capacity have the freedom and enjoyment of reproductive choice. Ipas LAC is active in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua, joining efforts with key organizations, institutions and individuals to prevent unwanted pregnancies and ensure access to contraception and safe abortion.
In other countries of the region, it implements actions and interventions through strategic alliances for technical support, strengthening knowledge, skills and capacities, as well as strengthening policies that contribute to the creation of favorable environments for sexual and reproductive health.
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