It’s my body, and it’s my future: Abortion Advocacy for Autonomy and Choice

Date: 03/11/2021

Theme

Political, legal, cultural and health-systems advocacy for safe abortion access for all

Registration

https://weareinnovision.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_m9gi0YVwSu2CwWqOWJ1m6A

Date

3 November 2021

Time

08:00 – 09:30 Mexico City time

Languages

Interpretation will be available in Arabic French, English and Spanish

Hosts

Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar (MEXFAM), Family Planning Association of India (FPA India)

Summary

IPPF is a world leader in abortion provision, but can we call ourselves a world leader in defending and promoting the right to individuals’ bodily autonomy politically, legally, culturally, and clinically? We understand access to safe and legal abortion to be a fundamental human right and that IPPF has a responsibility to promote and defend the right to abortion. This roundtable will address what role IPPF should have as a global abortion advocate. While operating in diverse contexts with a range of obstacles to abortion advocacy and access, it is vital that IPPF MAs can advocate for abortion without compromising the safety of staff and volunteers or sustainability of the MA. We will explore the role of intersectional cross movement approaches in advancing abortion rights for all.

Introduction by

Petra Bayr, Member of IPPF’s Committee on Strategy, Investment and Policy, she is a Member of the Austrian Parliament. Petra is currently Chairperson of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination at the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council; Vice President of the European Parliamentarian Forum on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (EPF); Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE); and a Member of UNITE Parliamentarians Network to End HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis. Petra is also a Member of the Advisory Group on Health of the IPU (Inter Parliamentarian Union); and is a Member of the Board of Trustees of Rechtskomitee Lambda, Austria’s LGBT-rights organisation; as well as a Board Member of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA). Petra is the Vice President of IPPF-EN. Amongst the skills required for the PSIC, Petra can point to a strong understanding of SRHR and related fields; a track record of interfacing with donors and policy makers; and experience of developing advocacy positions. She is from Western Europe, currently located in Austria.

Moderator

Dr. Kalpana Apte is Executive Director, Family Planning Association of India (FPAI). She has been been a development professional in Public Health, particularly Sexual & Reproductive Health and Rights for 23 years. Areas of experience include planning and implementing clinical and community based intervention that deliver health, particularly sexual & reproductive health services, address stigma and discrimination around abortions, HIV AIDS, Sexual orientation and also intervention aimed at Gender equity and equality including strategies to mitigate Gender Based Violence.

Her particular interest and skills are to conceptualise and implement large District or Block level SRHR including family planning intervention that deliver results. As a Programme Team leader she has led FPA India teams to develop two strategic Plans ( 2005-2009 ) and ( 2011-2015) and have been responsible for ensuring developing aligned annual activity & budget plans and its implementation; led the donor funded project development and implementation.

Roundtable Members

Dr. Alfonso Carrera earned his Medical Doctor degree, specialized in OB/GYN from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Additionally, he got his Postdoctoral degree in reproductive biology at the University of Pennsylvania. Carreras worked as OB/GYN staff member for 19 years at the National Social Security System in México (IMSS). 

He also was chief of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department in the Atizapan Public General Hospital for seven years, and then for two years, he became deputy director. Carrera was founder of the “Center of attention to victims of domestic and sexual violence”, established since 2000; and collaborated with IPAS as senior clinical advisor. 

Carreras is national coordinator and founding member of the global alliance “Global Doctors for Choice”, where he participates since 2007. Additionally, he is an active member of the Mexican College of Gynecology and Obstetrics, as well as of the Mexican Association of Reproductive Medicine. Currently, he is the Medical Director of Marie Stopes México since 2014. 

Esperanza Delgado is Director of Advocacy and Inter-institutional Relations at MEXFAM, a Mexican CSO. Esperanza promotes monitoring and follow up of public policies and budgets on issues of health, education, and sexual and reproductive rights at national, state and municipal level. 

Due to their priority and relevance, Esperanza has driven initiatives on prevention of gender based violence, decriminalization of abortion, and institutionalization of comprehensive sexuality education. She participates in regional and international networks and alliances that discuss the advancement of agendas such as Sustainable Development Goals, Population and Development, and Equality and Status of Women. 

With studies in Educational Psychology and a master’s degree in Business and Public Administration and with more than 30 years of professional experience, Esperanza has developed different functions in government, research, international foundations, and civil society organizations. 

Tamia Maldonado, Young advocate in abortion activism in Ecuador

Ndiilokelwa Nthengwe believes that technology and business enterprises should be used in tandem to rigorously improve our quality of life and education. Ndiilokelwa’s vision is to empower minority and previously disadvantaged groups via entrepreneurship, advocacy and technology to engender and realize equal and liberated communities.

Ndiilokelwa holds these current positions: 

1. HERVoiceFund Ambassador Namibia  

2. Program Officer, Positive Vibes Trust

3. Co-Founder for Voices for Choices and Rights Coalition (VCRC) 

4. Equal Namibia Co-Founder

Maeve Taylor is Director of Advocacy and Communications of the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has been with the IFPA since 2011.

Her publications include:

Women’s right to health and Ireland’s abortion laws Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2015 Jul;130(1):93-7.

 doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2015.04.020. Epub 2015 Apr 17 and The Irish Journey: Removing the shackles of abortion restrictions in Ireland Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2020 Jan;62:36-48.  doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2019.05.011. Epub 2019 May 27 (co-authored with Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran and Alison Spilane.