September 28th of every year is a campaign day for access to safe and legal abortion, with campaign activities held simultaneously in many countries around the world[1]. This campaign is part of an effort to raise public and policy maker awareness about the issues and solutions regarding access to safe and legal abortion, to protect the lives of over 21.6 million women worldwide who still face the dangers of unsafe abortion each year, and to eliminate the problem where up to 47,000 women worldwide die each year from unsafe abortion.
Although the World Health Organization has declared access to safe abortion as a key global health policy, in Thailand, women’s unplanned pregnancies and seeking access to safe abortion are still stigmatized by society because they are linked to violations of sexual norms for women in Thai society or linked to moral issues, overlooking the reasons and necessity, as well as the health and social impacts. As a result, Thai society still lacks acceptance, lacks dissemination of information, and there are still limitations in providing safe and legal abortion services. Many women still do not have access to services and continue to face the dangers of unsafe abortion.
In 2019, the international campaign focused on the slogan “Abortion is Health Care” with the campaign hashtag #MyAbortionMyHealth. In Thailand, more than 16 organizations, including the network of members supporting choices for women with unplanned pregnancies, the RSA (Referral System for Safe Abortion) volunteer network, the AIDS and unplanned pregnancy hotline 1663, the Bureau of Reproductive Health, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, the Sexuality Education Association, the Women’s Health and Gender Justice Program, the International Health Policy Program IHPP, the Canadian Embassy, the Tam Tang Group, women on web, women help women, the Backstage Politics Group, the Tea House Group, the Manushya Foundation, the Health Promotion Fund Office, and the network of workers, jointly organized a campaign in Thailand, using the same main approach as the international campaign, which is “Abortion is Health Care,” and used a broader hashtag, #OurRightsOurAbortionOurHealth, and held the event on September 25, 2019, from 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM at the Auditorium, 5th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.
[1] For more information, visit http://www.september28.org/
Agenda for the 49th ProVoice6 Network Meeting Supporting Choices for Women with Unplanned Pregnancies: Abortion is Health Care: Our Rights, Our Abortion, Our Health at the Auditorium, 5th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Wednesday, September 25, 2019, 10:30 AM – 7:00 PM.
Hosts: Chumaporn Tangklieng and Rattana Duidee
10:30 – 11:30 AM + Tang Talk: Young Feminist’s Voices on Abortion
Summary: Perspectives on abortion from the voices of activists, writers, and young feminists who work to drive society, using a feminist perspective to question social justice, patriarchy, and women’s rights.
Moderator: Noppanai Rittiwong, transgender women’s activist from the Foundation for Service Workers
Speakers:
- Panithita Kiatsupimon – Writer and founder of PS Publishing, representing a publishing house that creates content for women with a friendly, non-judgmental, and understanding tone.
- Ekawat Pimsawan – Feminist activist, Tea House Group
- Kornkanok Kumta – Political and feminist activist, Backstage Politics Group
- Siriporn Tumsing – Guidance counselor with a humanistic approach
- Dr. Kwanchanok Homsangpradit Department of Family Medicine, Ramathibodi, founder of the Facebook page “Nong Sao”*
Visual Thinking: Araya Chusri – Non-binary activist, Tea House Group
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM View the exhibition “Abortion Tools and Drugs” and campaign t-shirt sales
12:00 – 1:30 PM Lunch at your leisure (During this time, VDO Pro-Voice#3 from September 23, 2016: Abortion is possible, safe, and legal)
1:30 – 2:15 PM + Our Rights: Women’s Rights
Summary: A small group of women who have experienced abortion have the opportunity to share their experiences and thoughts on abortion through art and writing, resulting in an E-Book titled “Telling Our Story” which will be launched for the first time at this event, presented through a live performance with music by members of the Tam Tang Group, a group that provides counseling and campaigns for safe abortion, under the theme “Abortion is a Woman’s Right, Does the Fetus Have Rights, Should Doctors Support It”
Speaker: Led by Supecha Bautip from the Tam Tang Group
2:15 – 3:00 PM + Our Abortion: Safe Abortion
Summary: Introducing safe medical abortion methods for the public, using Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) and Medical Abortion (MA) according to gestational age, emphasizing that the curettage method is outdated, the World Health Organization has abolished it, and the Thai Ministry of Public Health does not support this method.
Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sanya Patrachai Lecturer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi, Mahidol University
Moderator: Thananuch Sanguansak Independent journalist, Human Rights Media Award 2015
3:00 – 3:45 PM + Our Health: Our Health
Summary: Abortion is Health Care. Abortion is a health service, a normal event like a gynecological cold. If society still dreams of equality and equity, society should view unplanned pregnancy and abortion as normal, like people seeking treatment for infertility, cervical cancer, or even a cold. Allowing them to come and talk, discuss, and find solutions is the society of equality we dream of.
Speaker: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanapan Chuboon Lecturer, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University
3:45 – 5:00 PM + Our Commitments: Unite Every Step for Safe Abortion
Summary: A period of expressing commitment to the movement for the rights and value of life for women with unplanned pregnancies. Abortion is Health Care, with support, facilitation, and development to create accessible and safe service systems.
Speakers:
- Dr. Boonrit Sukrat, Assistant Director of the Bureau of Reproductive Health, Department of Health, proposes policies and support for safe abortion in the health system
- Pharmacist Kanitsak Chantraphipat, Director of the Primary Care Service Support Office, NHSO, proposes support for safe abortion services in the national health system
- Chatiwut Wangwon Director of the Health Risk Factor Control Support Office, Thai Health Promotion Foundation
- Dr. Nithiwat Saengruang – RSA Network
- Tatsanai Khantayaporn – Unplanned Pregnancy Network
- Supaporn Khunlohit – Women who have had abortions
- Waraporn Chaemsanit – Civil Society
- Aimorn Kongsri – Representative of the 1663 Choice Counseling Service
Moderated by Jittima Phanutecha Network supporting choices for women with unplanned pregnancies
5:00 – 6:30 PM + Discussion “Myths and Politics of Abortion in Film”
Summary: While society is blocked from the facts about safe abortion, Thai politicians are reluctant to take a stand in support of abortion rights, unlike in other countries where this issue is a significant one with political support implications. Film media is influential in presenting images of abortion, reinforcing prejudice, stigmatizing women who have abortions, and presenting the political struggles of those with opposing views on this issue.
Speakers:
- Sai Charoenpura, actress, writer, and director of the film “Tom Hang”
- Santarit Saapermsap author of the thesis “Creating Meaning of Women Who Have Abortions Through Representations in Thai Films”
- Kong Rithdee film critic and columnist
- Kritaya Archavanijkul Network supporting choices for women with unplanned pregnancies
Moderator: Waraporn Chaemsanit Manager of the Women’s Health and Gender Justice Program
Watch the replay: https://fb.watch/ba2aOqiUFH/