Unsafe abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. Worldwide, an estimated 68,000 women die of unsafe abortion each year and incidences of unsafe abortion are highest in developing regions. The path toward safer abortion is clear – expand access to safe abortion so women and girls would not have to risk their health by resorting to unsafe methods. Unfortunately well-organised and resourced opposition groups and conservative political factions within governments who equate abortion with immorality and/or as “western ideology” very often drown the clarity of this message. In order to effectively challenge persistent stigma within the complex cultural and religious context this issue sits within, advocates in the region need solidarity with other Global South voices who are trying to push through similar barriers for greater access to safe abortion in their respective countries.

The Safe Abortion Advocacy Initiative – A Global South Engagement (SAIGE), launched in 2018, is a platform for Global South advocates, activists, academics and services providers committed towards realising safe abortion as a human right. Through research and evidence generation SAIGE aspires to create a knowledge base for its partners and facilitate evidence based advocacy and advocacy at the national, regional and global level. To learn more about SAIGE, visit www.saige.arrowadvocacy.org