"Ipas -- Saving Women's Lives"

Unsafe abortion is a global tragedy. Anu Kumar of Ipas minces no words in telling us that such a travesty is entirely unnecessary in this day and age. In “Ipas — Saving Women’s Lives,” she describes how Ipas cares about these women, and why you should, too.

Facts about abortion
• Nearly 40 women every minute
risk their lives and health by under-
going unsafe abortion.
• There are more than 40 million
unsafe abortions each year in
Africa.
• More than 200,000 children world-
wide lose their mothers every year
from abortion-related deaths.

Dr. Kumar asserts that:

What we do know about abortion is that it is preventable. There should be no woman dying from abortion -- not in this day and age. Deaths from abortion are entirely preventable.

She demonstrates the use of the Manual Vacuum Aspirator, developed, manufactured and distributed throughout the world by Ipas which enables trained medical personnel to safely perform first-trimester abortions even in low-resource settings.

Dr. Kumar decries the continuing horrors inflicted on vulnerable women, especially in Africa, by the extremist politicization of abortion in the United States. Documenting the extent to which desperate women in Ethiopia are driven to crude and dangerous means of abortion, she challenges us to consider -- regardless of our religious or political bent:

Should these young women be allowed to have safe abortions or should they continue to be left to risk their lives and the well-being of their families to terminate unintended pregnancy.

Even though President Barack Obama rescinded the Global Gag Rule the world’s poorest women remain the victims of U.S. foreign policy that restricts abortion funding. The Helms Amendment hamstrings our ability to promote safe motherhood for these women derailing rational uses of American taxpayers' funds in Africa/Asia/Latin America. Drawing from recent Ipas experiences in Nepal, Dr. Kumar explains how the Helms Amendment victimizes vulnerable women. The Helms Amendment

• hampers best efforts to make abortion safe,
• denies health-care providers access to lifesaving equipment and
• censors vital medical information.

Action to repeal the Helms amendment is urgently needed to protect women’s health and lives and fulfill women’s human rights, she contends.

Stay up to date!
News about reproductive health:
What's New on Future Choices

Ipas recently released a powerful documentary, Not Yet Rain, which explores abortion in Ethiopia through the voices of women. With their touching stories, the viewer sees the important role that safe abortion care plays in the overall health of the women and their families.

While a law enacted in 2006 marked great progress in the journey for reproductive freedom in Ethiopia, Not Yet Rain shows that more needs to be done.

Anu Kumar: The law is only part of the solution which is why we titled Not Yet Rain based on the African proverb that says “thunder is not yet rain.” While positive steps have been made, much more needs to be done. Ipas works extensively with a network of community-based organizations throughout the country to raise awareness about the change in the law.

Women continue to die from unsafe abortions. Ipas promotes the requisite training for health workers and increased availability of care which could save the lives of women in Ethiopia and around the world.

See the trailer for Not Yet Rain here or order the DVD for showing in your community.

When is Future Choices aired in your community?
See Local TV schedule for time and channel in each participating community in Westchester County.

View Dr. Kumar discussing Mission & History of Ipas:

About Ipas' work:

About Not Yet Rain, Ipas's documentary on abortion in Ethiopia |MORE

"As Thunder Is Not Yet Rain, In Ethiopia, Legal Rights to Abortion Are Not Yet Accessible:" NPR on Not Yet Rain," |MORE

In Ethiopia one in seven women die annually from pregnancy-related causes, and unsafe abortion accounts for more than half these maternal deaths. |MORE about Ethiopia

Brief Bio of Anu Kumar

Anu Kumar, PhD, MPH is the Executive Vice President for Development and Communications of Ipas, an international nonprofit organization that focuses on women's sexual and reproductive rights and abortion issues. With her seven years experience here and her prior work devoted to women's health, she is an engaging and capable spokesperson for Ipas and for women in need throughout the developing world. |MORE

• About Ipas:

• Founded in 1973, Ipas is a global NGO dedicated entirely to ending preventable deaths and disabilities due to unsafe abortion. Through local, national and global partnerships, Ipas works to ensure that women can obtain safe, respectful and comprehensive abortion care, |MORE

  ipas_at_a_glance.pdf
  ipas_in_Africa.pdf
  Ipas_in_LatAm.pdf
  Ipas_in_Asia.pdf

 

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