 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Felicia Lester, Joint Medical Program, UC Berkeley/UCSF, 2528 Le Conte, Berkeley, CA 94809, 510-604-2854, flester@itsa.ucsf.edu
Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the current situation of abortion in Cambodia with particular attention to the relationship between human rights and reproductive rights and health. Significance: There is a growing understanding that unsafe abortion is an issue of human rights as well as public health. The interconnectedness and interdependency of reproductive health and rights and other human rights is elucidated by this study. Methods: In collaboration with the UNFPA, a survey of 75 Abortion Service Providers (ASPs) was carried out in two provinces in Cambodia. Additionally, interviews with twelve reproductive health experts were conducted in Phnom Penh. Outcomes: The cost of services varies depending on the type of provider and the method used. Providers who work in both the public and private sectors tend to provide services in their private clinics, and a significant portion of their income is earned from the private provision of abortion services. Implications: Though abortion was legalized in 1997, unsafe abortion is still a problem in Cambodia, especially for poor and marginalized women such as sex workers, adolescents, and garment workers. The high profit from the private provision of abortion services has prevented access to safe, affordable public services. These findings indicate that reproductive rights and access to safe abortion is inextricably linked to the low status of women, the general lack of respect for human rights, and the economic insecurity and corruption that is prevalent in Cambodia.
Learning Objectives:
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.