ZIHUATANEJO, Mexico – The Women on Waves ship, in collaboration with national and local Mexican organizations, arrived in Mexico on Friday.
Marking the start of campaign, the boat has already sailed out with women to international waters where women can get free legal medical abortions till 9 weeks of pregnancy. Women with unwanted pregnancies in need of help can call at 7559800548.
On April 24th, at 10am, there will be a press conference at the hotel Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa, Zihuatanejo.
Abortion is legal throughout Mexico in cases of sexual violence. Furthermore, in each state there are different legal grounds for abortion, yet effective access is not ensured even in cases where abortion is legal.
For that, in many other situations, Mexican women across the country need to bear the costs and logistics of traveling to Mexico City, where abortion has been legal on demand since 10 years.
Those who cannot afford the travel have to seek illegal abortion services and risk prosecution and sometimes even imprisonment.
The right to safe abortion goes beyond ideologies and politics itself, as it is an urgent medical need and a fundamental human right that needs to be fully ensured in all the Mexican States.
Women on Waves
The Women on Waves ship is a human rights campaign to highlight the need for safe abortions throughout Mexico and the international solidarity of women across the globe.
In 2009, one million abortions took place in Mexico. In Mexico city, where abortion is legal on demand, the procedure is safe and effective, following the World Health Organization protocols, resulting in a low complication rate of 0.68%.
Nationally, where abortion is legally restricted, the complication rate increases to 36% (Guttmacher Institute, 2008). Moreover, 9.2% of maternal deaths are the consequence of unsafe abortions (Freyermuth, Numeralia 2014, 2016). The lack of access and the criminalization of abortion endangers women’s right to health, to the advancement of science and to a life with dignity.
The ship has all required permits to sail out and will be receiving women until Sunday, April, 23rd. The services on board the ship are provided according to high European medical standards.
