On September 28, the Philippine Safe Abortion Advocacy Network (PINSAN) launched the proposed bill to decriminalize abortion in the Philippines entitled, “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”. On a day celebrated around the world as International Safe Abortion Day, advocates call on the government to enact a law decriminalizing abortion to save the lives of women, girls, and persons of diverse gender identities, recognizing safe and legal abortion as a human right and in compliance with its international human rights obligations to remove punitive provisions on abortion.
The bill was drafted by Atty. Clara Rita Padilla, PINSAN spokesperson and executive director of EnGendeRights, with inputs from PINSAN members who are from various feminist, gender rights, secularist, faith-based organizations from across the Philippines and other women’s rights and human rights activists and youth groups.
After the launch of the bill, the online event proceeded with the live art performance of “Telling Truer Stories” where several artists translated real abortion stories of individuals into narrative artwork. Performances included live readings of a Teen Pregnancy Story, Discriminatory Post Abortion Care Story, and No Regrets Story by Aubrey Balbuena from YAS!, Joie Cortina, and Amihan Ruiz, respectively.
Advocates discussed abortion issues such as the need for compassionate post-abortion care and ways citizens can support the campaign to decriminalize abortion. A panel discussion with members of WGNRR, Amarela Philippines, and the Sanctuary Project tackled the heartbreaking and crucial issue of teenage and unintended pregnancies. Panelists from the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Lunas Collective, and Young Feminists Collective discussed the need to decriminalize abortion.
Each year, complications from unsafe abortion is one of the five leading causes of maternal death and a leading cause of hospitalization in the Philippines. The country’s restrictive abortion laws do nothing to better the lives of its citizens, and only endanger the least privileged citizens who continue to needlessly suffer and die. With no access to safe abortion, pregnant persons who decide to discontinue their pregnancies — some of whom are victims of sexual assault and incest — are forced to rely on unsafe abortion procedures. An estimated eleven of these women are hospitalized every hour. Three women die every day from unsafe abortion complications.
A law that decriminalizes abortion will help end the stigma that negatively affects the mental and physical health of a great number of pregnant individuals who decide to discontinue their pregnancies, most of whom only want to be able to make informed medical decisions that prioritize themselves and their families. Abortion is a public health issue and a human rights issue. It is a legitimate medical procedure, the access to which is guaranteed by law in most civilized countries that prioritize public health and human rights.
PINSAN urges citizens to support the bill by signing the online petition and sharing true stories of individuals whose lives have been affected by the lack of access to safe abortion. It also calls on our lawmakers to support this bill in both houses of Congress, and the government to accord this bill the urgency it deserves.