MEDIA ADVISORY
In the Philippines, the restrictive abortion law prevents women forces women to seek out unsafe methods of abortion. Because of our country’s restrictive abortion law, around 610,000 Filipino women were estimated to have induced abortions in 2012 alone— with at least three women dying each day and 100,000 others hospitalized due to complications. This public health issue should urgently be addressed especially now with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in higher rates of unintended and unwanted pregnancies due to lack of access to contraceptives and higher incidences of rape, intimate partner violence, and sexual exploitation.
The Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN) is proposing a bill to decriminalize abortion in the Philippines. Atty. Clara Rita Padilla will be presenting the salient points of the bill “Act Decriminalizing Induced Abortion to Save the Lives of Women, Girls, and Persons of Diverse Gender Identities, Amending Article 256-259 of the Revised Penal Code.”
WHAT:
Public launch and media conference on the proposed bill to decriminalize abortion
WHEN:
September 28, International Safe Abortion Day, 1-2:30 PM
Program will be followed by a live art event, “Open House:Telling Truer Stories III”,
featuring stories of Filipino women and their experiences of abortion.
WHERE:
via Zoom: http://bit.ly/DecrimAbortionNow.
Media presence is earnestly requested.
For more information, contact:
Sarryna Gesite
sarryna@wgnrr.org
0953 241 3708