“My message is: keep going, there’s no other way”
Across the world, governments and anti-rights movements are rolling back on decades of progress on gender equality, including access to abortion. But people are fighting back, determined to protect the rights so many have fought so hard to achieve.
Ahead of International Women’s Day, we spoke with five courageous activists from Tunisia, Mexico, Burkina Faso, Poland and the United States who shared their strategies to protect access to abortion, their hopes for the future and the reasons why they believe that, despite the many increasing challenges, humanity must always win.
My name is Selma Hajri, I’m 71 and I am Tunisian. I am a doctor and a feminist. About fifteen years ago, I was the founder of an association dedicated to sexual and reproductive rights: the TAWHIDA Ben Cheikh Group. I am an endocrinologist specialising in reproductive health, and I am still the General Secretary of this association.
A few years ago, I created a regional network of activists and health professionals for abortion rights and access. This network focuses on the southern Mediterranean region, but with a view to exchange experiences with the northern mediterranean region more. I am very proud because it is the first and only network in this region that directly addresses abortion rights.
“We must talk about abortion”
Tunisia is a pioneer: we have established laws and policies that guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health services. First trimester abortion has been legalised and freely available to all since the first decade of the independence in the 1960s. In 1973, Tunisia established a legal framework and a public institution to provide these services.
However, even though Tunisian laws are very favourable to women, at least in relation to the rest of the region, the reality is very different. Public services continue to decline, making access to abortion increasingly difficult, especially outside Tunis, Tunisia’s capital city. The sexual and reproductive health sector is one of the most affected by the deterioration of public services and ongoing economic crises. As public services deteriorate, women and young people end up resorting to private services, but these are very expensive for most.
Today, we focus on working with sexual and reproductive health service providers, midwives and doctors. We developed tailored training programmes based on international experience, with a focus on clarifying values and changing misconceptions. We decided to focus on improving the quality of services already available, particularly to young and marginalized women, as they are the population with the least access, especially as they depend on public services.
“Fighting for our rights still gives me a reason to live”
The big challenge for me and our organisation is to find allies. Although we can express ourselves freely, we find it very difficult to raise awareness among civil society for action on sexual and reproductive rights.
We are still working to make abortion a priority issue among feminists in our country. This is because abortion is still considered a taboo that is very, very difficult to overcome, even among women and feminists. This is exacerbated by the fact that our government is conservative and rejects the influence of international organisations. They are repressing and restricting access to the funds that are still available.
That is why our main battle today is verbalisation: we must talk about abortion, we must talk about sexuality, because it is an essential part of women’s lives.
Organizations like Amnesty International, which have been involved for decades in defending human rights and are internationally recognized for their high level of expertise and unwavering commitment, can play an essential role in recognizing the importance and centrality of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the fight for gender equality and women’s rights.
What do I do to stay motivated? The truth is that I have never stopped. Fighting for our rights still gives me a reason to live.
My message to young activists is: keep going, keep going, keep going. Despite the many difficulties and obstacles, there’s no other way.
Listen to more stories from abortion rights activists.
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