VERDE-Uganda campaigns for legalized abortion

With women lacking access to safe and legal abortions, many of them turn to unsafe abortion practices, such as self-induced abortions. This has costly consequences; around 5 million Ugandan women annually are injured or otherwise disabled as a result of abortion-related consequences.

“Every woman and adolescent girl has a right to make informed decisions about their reproductive health”

CSOs have worked extensively in Uganda on the human rights implications of lack of access to legal abortion and modern contraceptives. Many protests, workshops and talks have culminated into reports that have recently forced Ugandan Parliament to call for a revision of the old abortion law. This is due in February 2021, but the expectations of the conservative government are low.

To pressure the need for legalized abortion, Voluntary Efforts for Rural Development (VERDE-Uganda) organized a consensus building campaign among human rights activists, journalists, parliamentarians, human rights lawyers and health practitioners. The campaign included a solidarity march in Kampala City, an interactive radio discussion with the public and a petition to be taken to the speaker of Uganda Parliament.

VERDE-Uganda will continue their campaign in the four regions (Central, Western, Eastern and Northern) to further advocate for legalizing abortion in Uganda.

VERDE-Uganda was established in July 2004 to empower, advocate and build in rural communities, with their main focus on vulnerable women. Their social goal is to protect the rights of women, sexual and reproductive health rights being first on the agenda. They use activism to bring about social justice, which is highly needed in times of growing injustices and oppression under the ruling social-political order in Uganda.