International Safe Abortion Day

International Safe Abortion Day—commemorated each year on September 28—is the global day of action to demand access to safe and legal abortion care everywhere and for all women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals.

Abortion care is critical to reproductive autonomy, economic equality, and our right to determine our own lives.

Criminalizing abortion does not eliminate the need for abortion care—it instead drives many people to seek unsafe abortions. Worldwide, more than 39,000 women die each year from unsafe abortions, and millions more experience health complications. It is essential to eliminate criminal abortion laws to ensure that people in all countries can access safe and legal abortion services.

Find out more about International Safe Abortion Day here and how you can help the campaign.

Here’s list of activities from the Center for Reproductive Rights and its partners in regions around the world to commemorate the day:

Reimagining Reproductive Autonomy—A Global Look at Self-Managed Abortion, October 3

Learn about the legal landscape of self-managed abortion and the Center’s new interactive resource at this complimentary webinar. Details here.

Symposium on Global Abortion Access, October 11

Learn about global abortion trends and access at this complimentary program, available via Zoom, from the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, co-sponsored by the Center. Details here.

For updates on events in this region, check @ReproRightsAFR on Twitter/X and Instagram.

Football Match, Riruta Stadium, Nairobi, September 28

To help “kick out” abortion stigma, the Africa team is joining with partner Women Collective Kenya to host a football match event at Riruta Stadium in Nairobi. Join for a day of fun, community, and advocacy for access to safe abortion. Details here. 

Catalysts Alliance to Advance Abortion Rights in Africa

The Center and its partners recently formed Catalysts, an Africa-led alliance that will develop coordinated strategies to oppose anti-rights movements and protect and advance abortion rights in the region. Learn more.

X-Space Conversation

The team also held an X-Space conversation with partners on September 25 that discussed efforts to ensure access to safe and legal abortion care services in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Center’s Asia team was instrumental in the development of the Sep 28 Campaign, the global movement to unite activists and organizations worldwide to stand in solidarity for safe abortion rights and reproductive justice.

For more news from the Europe region, check @ReproRightsEUR on Twitter/X.

The Center’s Europe team is supporting the My Voice, My Choice Campaign for safe and accessible abortion in the European Union. Sign up here.

For updates on events in this region, check out @ReproRightsLAC on Twitter/X, Instagram and Threads.

Causa Justa Festival, September 28, Colombia

The Center is part of the Causa Justa Movement, which is commemorating International Safe Abortion Day with 19 activities across 17 cities in Colombia to promote barrier-free and non-discriminatory access to abortion services. Join the action to celebrate the movement and demand the state’s commitment to ensure effective access to abortion across the entire country. The day’s activities include a parade and concert in Bogotá, co-sponsored by the Center. Details here.

International Seminar on Abortion: September 26–27, Quito, Ecuador

The Center’s Cristina Rosero, Senior Legal Advisor for LAC, will be speaking at this event organized by Justa Libertad, which will discuss how the criminalization of abortion violates human rights and perpetuates injustices and inequality. Details here.

Online Conversation on Abortion and Reproductive Autonomy

This conversation with Cuestión Pública, held September 25, featured the Center’s Cristina Rosero, Senior Legal Adviser, LAC, and Johanna González, Marshall Weinberg Global Legal Fellow for LAC. Watch the video replay here.

Trust Black Women Rally—Justice for Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, Georgia State Capitol, Atlanta, September 28 @ 2 p.m.

Trust Black Women and SisterSong are hosting a vigil and rally for Amber Thurman and Candi Miller, two Black women who lost their lives due to Georgia’s dangerous and extreme abortion ban. RSVP for the event here.

New! Modern Wellness Next-Gen Essentials: A Guide to Abortion in America

This guide that covers the realities and facts of accessing abortion in America for a Gen Z audience. Read the article here.

• New Online Tool: Self-Managed Abortion—The Global Legal Landscape: Learn about the global legal landscape of self-managed abortion in with the Center’s new interactive tool designed for advocates, policymakers, and individuals working to promote reproductive autonomy.  
• Decriminalizing Abortion: Explainer Videos: View videos in English, Spanish and French outlining the need to remove abortion and the associated criminal sanctions from penal laws. 
• World’s Abortion Laws Map: Explore the legal status of abortion in countries and territories across the globe. 
• Abortion Laws by U.S. State Map: Find out where abortion is banned and where it’s protected with  the “After Roe Fell: Abortion Laws by State” map.