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Team,

Yesterday was International Safe Abortion Day [[link removed]] —a chance to shine a light on the crucial role that accessible, safe abortion care plays in the lives of people around the globe.

Abortion is one of the world's most common medical procedures. It's considered an essential service by the World Health Organization—and when carried out properly, it's both safe and simple. But when legal restrictions put safe, quality abortion services out of reach, people are forced to seek care elsewhere.

Nearly half of the world's 73 million annual abortions are unsafe—resulting in tens of thousands of deaths per year and accounting for up to 13% of maternal deaths. The numbers speak for themselves: Safe abortion is a matter of life and death. The good news? More and more countries are expanding protections and access [[link removed]] .

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Our flags fly high on Geneva's Mont-Blanc Bridge for International Safe Abortion Day with the messages "Reproductive rights are human rights" and "Les droits reproductifs sont des droits humains."

1. Nigeria: This June, the Federal High Court recognized the right to safe abortion for victims of sexual violence—a breakthrough ruling in a country where three in five abortions are unsafe. The decision sets a major legal precedent that could be used to further expand abortion access across Nigeria. [[link removed]]

2. Nepal: Once home to one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, Nepal has transformed abortion into a guaranteed right. [[link removed]] After years of advocacy and legal battles, abortion is now free in all government health facilities, helping drive a 71% drop in maternal deaths. Watch the documentary to learn more about one of the great reproductive rights success stories of the past 20 years. [[link removed]]

3. England & Wales: In June, the UK House of Commons voted overwhelmingly to repeal a 19th-century law that criminalized women who sought abortion outside of legal pathways. [[link removed]] Across the region, lawmakers are continuing to align their countries' abortion laws with international human rights standards and public health guidelines—helping to ensure quality abortion care for all. Read more: Europe Abortion Laws: Policies, Progress and Challenges [[link removed]]

4. Latin America: Latin America has long been home to some of the world's most restrictive abortion laws, but grassroots activism and our legal work are helping shift that reality. Two landmark rulings from the United Nation Human Rights Committee in response to complaints filed by the Center on behalf of four young rape survivors who were denied abortion care found that denying abortion violated the girls’ human rights, ordered reparations, and directed governments to reform their laws to ensure safe, legal abortion. The Committee’s rulings apply across 173 states, strengthening the global legal framework for abortion. Discover more about the "Son niñas, no madres" ("They are girls, not mothers") cases. [[link removed]]

5. United States: Despite the overturn of Roe v. Wade , the majority of Americans support the right to abortion—and voters have affirmed that at the ballot box, with Michigan passing a constitutional amendment in 2022 [[link removed]] and Arizona following in 2024 [[link removed]] . Yet harmful state restrictions remained, including Arizona's 15-week criminal ban and Michigan's laws mandating biased counseling, waiting periods, and limits on qualified providers. The Center filed lawsuits in both states, and this year courts struck those measures down— permanently blocking Arizona's ban [[link removed]] and removing three of the challenged restrictions in Michigan.

Abortion is health care, and people continue to need it regardless of what courts or lawmakers decide. Putting safe abortions out of reach doesn't keep people from them—it keeps people from surviving.

Safe abortion saves lives, and the Center will keep fighting until every abortion is a safe one. Join our fight today [[link removed]] .

In solidarity,

Center for Reproductive Rights

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The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance
reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world.
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