– During 2023, 66,853 people in Latin America and the Caribbean exercised their right to safe abortion through the different access routes promoted by Ipas LAC.
– That same year, 104,766 people received contraceptive services in public health facilities and civil society organizations (CSOs) supported by Ipas in the region.
– Similarly, 100,913 people received information about abortion and sexual and reproductive health through CSOs and support networks supported by the organization.
Access to safe and legal abortion continues to be a challenge in Latin America and the Caribbean; countries that have improved their public policies by legalizing access to abortion have achieved significant public health benefits for their populations, such as a decrease in maternal mortality related to unsafe abortion, as well as in morbidity and hospital charges for obstetric emergencies and complications (hemorrhages, infections and injuries caused by unsafe procedures), which regularly occur when there are no safety conditions that can be demanded in illegal contexts.
“This fact motivates us to redouble our efforts and continue working in partnership with organizations, institutions and individuals to prevent unwanted pregnancies and ensure access to contraception and safe abortion,” said Maria Antonieta Alcalde Castro, director of Ipas LAC.
“The criminalization of abortion affects everyone because it imprisons women and people with gestational capacity for having an abortion, harming their lives and hurting entire families,” said Fernanda Diaz de Leon Ballesteros, Ipas LAC’s Deputy Director of Advocacy.
Advances in sexual and reproductive health in Latin America and the Caribbean
On April 8, Ipas LAC released its 2023 Annual Report, recapping its major accomplishments in collaboration with key partners, donors, individuals and allies. Some of them were:
– 66,853 women and women of childbearing capacity had access to safe abortion and quality postabortion care provided by health systems supported by Ipas LAC in 10 countries in the region.
– 52 health units (hospitals and health centers) received direct support from Ipas LAC in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.For example, training in reproductive health and advocacy, technical equipment and donation of supplies.
– 104,766 people gained access to contraceptive methods in 8 countries in the region.
– 2,823 health professionals strengthened their knowledge, skills and abilities to provide high-quality abortion and contraceptive services without discrimination.
100,913 people received information on sexual and reproductive health through CSOs and accompanying networks.
– 6,294 people were accompanied by 23 networks in Argentina, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.These support networks not only fight for the legality of abortion, but also provide transnational support and join efforts to enable resilient strategies for access to safe abortion.
Internet, a safe place to get information about abortion
Populations with high levels of vulnerability tend to prefer virtual information, especially when it comes to stigmatized or criminalized issues, such as abortion. Women from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, in Mexico, said in an Ipas LAC study that the Internet is a source of information that helps them identify and approach places where they can receive help.
Ipas LAC has a suite of virtual tools developed to improve information, strengthen decision-making and accompany people in the region. One of these is the “
Te acompaño” chatbot for migrants, which shows them their rights as migrants in Mexico and provides guidance on sexual violence and safe abortion. This tool represented a source of support along the main migration routes in Mexico in 2023.
– In just three months, it accumulated 7,016 visits by more than 2,000 people, mainly from Mexico, USA, Guatemala, Ecuador, Honduras and Nicaragua. This translated into 567 automated conversations through the chatbot.
“I never thought there was an organization that cared about our health and even less about abortion. Thank you for all you are doing,” said a user in Baja California, Mexico.
Another user, 20 years old, in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, mentioned that this tool provided her with a tool:
“Information to know how to defend myself, what rights I have and that my rights as a human being are respected, especially in my case, that I have a son who was born here in Mexican territory and they tell me that I cannot take him out. To know what I need.
“Abortion with medication” and “the use of mifepristone and misoprostol”: main doubts.
Through the
safe abortion chatbot with Sofia, Ipas LAC’s virtual assistant who answers frequently asked questions about safe abortion, it was recorded that, in 2023, the most common questions were about
medical abortion and the use of mifepristone and misoprostol. That year, there were 18,339 visits to the chatbot by 12,100 people, mainly from Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, Mexico and Peru.
“I liked that it was a bot because it made me feel less exposed and gives me certainty that it will provide me with the exact information I need,” said the testimony of a user in Colombia.
Knowing the gestational stage in which the person is is essential to know the type of care that is required to abort. The treatment is not the same at different stages of pregnancy. If you are less than 13 weeks pregnant, the abortion can be self-managed. After 13 weeks of gestation, it is necessary to be accompanied by a health professional, as shown in the
video on safe abortion with misoprostol, published by Ipas Mexico.
– In 2023, the video accumulated a total of 5,362,357 views on YouTube. It is the most viewed Spanish-language educational video about abortion in the world.
– 7 out of every 10 views corresponded to women between 18 and 34 years of age.
About Ipas LAC
Last year, Ipas celebrated its 50th anniversary as an organization worldwide. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Ipas currently works in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua to promote access to safe abortion, prevent unwanted pregnancies and ensure access to contraception. In other countries in the region, it implements actions and interventions through strategic alliances. These actions include awareness-raising activities, technical support, knowledge, skills and capacity building, as well as the strengthening of policies that contribute to the creation of favorable environments for sexual and reproductive health.
Contact us to arrange an interview:
Irene Vázquez Gudiño
Media Liaison Coordinator
+52 55 3428 0544
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