70,000 Women a Year Die From Unsafe Abortions

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-10-22 13:08:00 UTC
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The International Women's Health Coalition (IWHC) wants to do something about the approximately 70,000 women a year who die from unsafe abortions (primarily in developing counties). So they've dubbed October 18-22 "International Access to Safe Abortion Week" to call attention to the estimated 20 million unsafe abortions that occur worldwide and to take steps to change this predicament.

Meanwhile, crazy anti-choicers in Colorado are supporting a local "personhood" amendment, which would declare that a fertilized egg has full human rights and thus make abortion access extremely difficult, by attacking President Barack "Angel of Death" Obama for actually allowing American aid dollars to go to international organizations that promote or perform abortions. Really, I'm serious. From their latest ad: "Then the Angel of Death arrived, and Hell followed with him." Yes, that is a creepy skull they're superimposing on the President's face.

Of course, the lifting of the Global Gag Rule has made it possible for international NGOs to better provide a range of safe family planning services, abortion included, improving women's reproductive health and putting them in less danger. (I wish Obama actually gave over $400 million straight to improved abortion services worldwide.) For the millions of women who are forced to resort to risky abortion procedures every year, Obama is a bit more of an Angel of Life, if we're going with over-the-top rhetoric.

But not to let that designation go to his head, there is plenty more work to be done, and that Obama specifically could be doing as President, to protect women's health, lives, and human rights. IWHC provides resources for advocates on how to get involved with promoting safe abortion access and information on misoprostole, a pill that is seen as having revolutionary capabilities because it gives women the ability to self-induce miscarriage when restrictive anti-abortion laws keep them from a safe and legal procedure. An important action you can take right now to improve international women's health and access to safe medical care is to sign this petition supporting the Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act.

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.

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