The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49055

Angeles Cabria, RN, MPH, Women's Rights and Empowerment, Pacific Institute for Women's Health, 3450 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90010, (213) 386-2600, acabria@piwh.org

The Latin American Consortium for Emergency Contraception (LACEC) was formed to promote access to emergency contraception (EC) throughout Latin America. The Consortium was inspired by and modeled on the successful global initiative of the International EC Consortium. The following issues will be presented: a survey of the status of EC in Latin America with an emphasis on its impact on public opinion, public health policies and service provision; an analysis of the challenges of promoting EC in the region; the strong linkages that exist between broad access to EC and women’s empowerment, human rights protections and other public health concerns such as the prevention of HIV infection and gender based violence; and lessons learned from this collaborative experience in advocacy.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participants in this session will be able to

• Recognize the magnitude of unwanted pregnancy and its consequences in Latin America and the crucial role that EC plays in saving lives and empowering women.
• Discuss the need for networking and organizing to advocate for the right of women to have information of and access to EC.
• Apply the lessons learnt from the LACEC experience in advocating for EC.

Keywords: Contraceptives, Health Assessment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.