As alarming as it sounds, violence against women is one of the most widespread, persistent, and devastating human rights violation even today. Largely this remains unreported due to impunity, silence, stigma and shame around it. The adverse psychological, sexual and reproductive health consequences due to violence affect women and girls at all stages of their lives making it an obstacle to achieving gender equality.

We have worked on a new collateral to capture key information on abortion landscape in India. The Campaign Advisory Group members had shared their inputs in the document, which is available in English, Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. This document will help you access key information on abortion, all in one place.

Sarita Devi (name changed) was married early during her teens. Though she was aware about family planning methods, owing to frontline health workers, she could not exercise choice due to her orthodox family. Much against her wishes, she was forced to keep her fourth pregnancy. But she was determined not to go through her fifth!

After 15 years of marriage and four kids, she put her foot down, and refused carrying the fifth pregnancy to term. Fortunately for her, she got in touch with an ASHA didi and got to know more about contraception choices. After much effort, well within the gestation limits, she managed to reach Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India’s clinic. In the clinic she availed SA and PAFP services. Such is her motivation to bring choice at doorstep, that she has started training to become an ASHA worker.

Pinky’s story is one of courage, perseverance, and determination. Pinky joined the Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India family in 2010 as a counsellor and from the start, her main concern was to understand the challenges faced by women and girls in accessing contraception. The more women she met, the more inspired she was, and gradually she started speaking on Vasectomy as an option for family planning. Defying all odds, and patriarchal norms, she started encouraging men to learn more about vasectomy. She busted myths, spoke to many women and men about the procedure, and her first breakthrough was years back in 2014 when she could encourage 32 men to opt for vasectomy services in a single day! Pinky has grown stronger over the years, and now is a popular name in the community.