THE WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

A CALL FOR A STATEMENT OF INTEREST TO NGOS IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES CONDUCTING ADVOCACY FOR IMPROVING ABORTION ACCESS

THE JOHANNESBURG INITIATIVE
The Initiative aims to build capacity among individuals and organisations engaged in advocacy for improving abortion access, either through legal change or by increasing access to and quality of services.

This was a collaborative effort of 18 NGOs worldwide, 11 of whom conducted research in their respective countries looking at factors that promoted or impeded access to abortion. A book consisting of 12 chapters and detailing the findings from 11 countries was published in 2001. 11 chapters interrogate factors that promoted or impeded abortion access, either through legislation or service provision in 11 individual countries. The 12th chapter is a comparative analysis that looks at all the findings.

The project is now in its second phase and we are sending out a call to NGOs in Africa who are interested in sharing the lessons that were generated through the collective experiences of the 18 participating countries.

Countries that were involved in phase 1 included Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Guyana, India, Ireland, italy, Kenya, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa and the United States of America.

The project is devised into three phases.

Phase 1:
Eleven of the 18 countries undertook research to study the factors that promoted or hindered abortion access in their countries. Using a common framework, they documented their experiences and these were published in the book: Advocating for Abortion Access: Eleven Country Studies.

Phase 2:
Phase 2 aims to strengthen the capacity of activists to undertake effective campaigns for the liberalisation and improvement of access to abortion services by sharing the lessons learnt in phase one. During this phase, activists will also identify any need for information, training and resources they may have if they want to pursue ideas generated in the workshop.

Phase 3:
The final phase of the initiative will focus on mobilising resources to support country based activities. The different countries will identify the type of resource they need, such as building specific advocacy skills; engaging with the media; training in coalition building and maintenance of coalitions; building capacity to engage effectively with diverse religious and cultural perspectives on abortion; building the capacity of local lawyers or human rights groups to use international law; or building the knowledge base of health activists regarding methods for safe abortion services. This project will support national NGOs in meeting these needs, either through in-country expertise or through the international abortion rights community.

IN ADDITION, THE WOMEN'S HEALTH PROJECT IS GIVING OUT FREE COPIES OF THE PUBLICATION IN EITHER ENGLISH OR SPANISH.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PHASE 2 AND THREE BEING IMPLEMENTED IN YOUR COUNTRY, PLEASE WRITE A STATEMENT OF INTEREST (ABOUT 2 PAGES) TO:

Zanele Hlatshwayo
Women's Health Project
School of Public Health
University of the Witwatersrand

DEADLINE: 25 APRIL, 2002