Abstract

Safe abortion mobile app helps defend women’s reproductive rights in context of global gag rule

Sarah Shannon, Executive director Hesperian Healthguides1 and Lori Berenson, MPH2
(1)Hesperian, Berkeley, CA, (2)Hesperian Health Guides, Berkeley, CA

APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)

The Global Gag Rule will cut $8.8 billion in global health funding to any organization that provides safe abortion services, information, or referrals. As a result, up to 26 million women & families will be cut off from contraception leading to an estimated 8 million more unintended pregnancies. Around 7 million women are admitted to hospitals every year in developing countries as a result of unsafe abortion and between 4.7% – 13.2% of annual maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortion globally. Hesperian has developed and is user-testing a Safe Abortion App to protect women’s right to health by preventing deaths from unsafe abortions. The resource provides accurate, unbiased information to women and their accompaniers on: safe abortion options, calculating gestational age, emergency danger signs, and post abortion care. The app provides discreet access to critical health information in the context of the rights violation of denying women access to safe abortion. Grassroots organizations in Argentina, Mexico, and Honduras, as well as peer youth promoters in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Ecuador will participate in guided focus groups using a Spanish edition of the app. Larger NGOs are user testing the English version of the app in Nigeria and Kenya. A team in Bangladesh is testing the app with Rohingya refugees, who face numerous human rights violations. The presentation will share key takeaways from user-testing in diverse contexts. In all cases, user-testers are using the Safe Abortion App to uphold women’s right to health in trying and potentially dangerous situations.

Advocacy for health and health education Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs