The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) today announces a Global Safe Abortion Programme to support services and information to reduce unsafe abortion worldwide; the new programme received welcome political and financial support from the Government of the United Kingdom, with International Development Minister Gareth Thomas announcing that the UK would contribute an initial ?3 million to the scheme.

The announcement comes on the same day as the publication of a new report from IPPF, Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty, which will be launched by International Development Minister, Gareth Thomas MP, at an event hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health at the House of Commons.

Stating that unsafe abortion is one of the most neglected public health and human rights issues facing women throughout the developing world, Death and Denial urges the international community to address the causes and consequences of unsafe abortion as a matter of urgency. The announcement comes almost five years to the day US President George W. Bush re-instated his anti-abortion policy (the Mexico City Policy, known as the Global Gag Rule) which hampers the implementation of safer abortion policies.

This year 19 million women will face serious injury, illness or death as a consequence of abortions performed by unskilled people under unsanitary conditions. Virtually all of these women live in the poorest countries in the world, and almost every death and injury could be averted by providing accessible, safe and legal abortion services alongside comprehensive reproductive health services.

Death and Denial clearly shows that addressing the public health impact of unsafe abortion through sound, evidence-based public health policy is crucial. The global trend to legalize or liberalize abortion laws on these grounds runs contrary to the current ideological anti-abortion policies pursued by the Government of the United States through its overseas development aid, and the opposition to abortion of the Vatican, alienating both from mainstream public health opinion.

Offering an overview of the current global situation, Death and Denial makes the explicit case that unsafe abortion is a cause and consequence of poverty. It is directly linked to gender, social and economic inequalities, and cultural and religious norms that make it impossible for women, especially young women and girls, to enjoy their basic sexual and reproductive rights, or even to argue for them.

Steven Sinding, Director-General, IPPF, said: "We are pleased to announce that IPPF will soon be launching a new programme, the Global Safe Abortion Programme, to support work on abortion - a health issue that has been neglected in part as a result of the Global Gag Rule. The Global Safe Abortion Programme will help improve access to safe abortion services and will also help support other partners that have had to cut back on reproductive health services because of the impact of the Gag Rule."

International Development Minister Gareth Thomas said: ?Maternal deaths represent one of the starkest indicators of inequality within, and between, rich and poor nations. Much more must be done to ensure that those most vulnerable have access to the care and services that they need.?

The full report of Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty will be available online http://www.ippf.org

International Planned Parenthood Federation is a non-governmental organization representing a network of 151 national associations working to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights for all people in 183 countries worldwide. IPPF is the strongest global voice safeguarding these rights.

International Planned Parenthood Federation
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