International Safe Abortion Day

By Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia

Unsafe abortions are one of the most neglected public health risks. Around the world, 29% of all pregnancies—and 61% of unintended pregnancies—end in induced abortion. Alarmingly, an estimated 45% of these are unsafe, with more than half in Asia, mostly in South and Central Asia. Too often, these leave women and girls at significant risk of serious physical harm, or even death—outcomes that are entirely preventable.

On International Safe Abortion Day, we restate and reaffirm a vital truth: safe abortions are life-saving healthcare. They are a cornerstone of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and every woman and girl deserves access to safe, legal, and respectful abortion care—without stigma, discrimination, or delay.

I am pleased to note that the Member States of our WHO South-East Asia Region have made commendable progress. India is expanding services through strengthened legal frameworks and integration into primary health care, and Nepal’s legal reforms are setting a regional benchmark. Thailand has expanded laws and policies, and broadened access through national health schemes.

The results speak for themselves.  Preventable maternal deaths have declined, with our region reporting a Maternal Mortality Ratio reduction of 52% between 2010 and 2023—the highest among all WHO regions. Improved access to safe and quality abortion care is a significant contributor to this success.

As WHO, we support countries with evidence-based guidance, technical assistance, and strategic tools. Our publication series includes the Regional Strategic Framework for Accelerating Universal Access to SRHR, clinical pocketbooks, health facility assessment tools, and decision-making tools to strengthen provider capacity and promote informed, client-centered care.¹

In collaboration with partners, our ‘BRIDGES for Comprehensive Abortion Care’ initiative focuses on integrating quality abortion care services into health systems, strengthening capacity, and sharing good practices in our region. Pleasingly, the initiative has a strong focus on women's rights and gender equality.

Despite the progress we have made, major barriers persist—restrictive laws, misinformation, stigma, and too few trained providers. Adding to this, global economic uncertainty and shrinking development financing are straining sustained investments in sexual and reproductive health.

Against this backdrop, equitable access to safe abortion care requires strong national commitments, resilient funding mechanisms, and global solidarity.

On International Safe Abortion Day, we call upon governments, civil society, health professionals, and communities to:

• Integrate abortion care into essential health services, delivered with dignity and respect
• Remove legal and policy barriers that hinder access
• Invest in provider training and support for compassionate, person-centered care
• Eliminate stigma and discrimination, particularly for adolescents, marginalized populations, and women in humanitarian settings.

Every woman and girl has the right to make decisions about her body and her future.

Together, let us ensure that every woman and girl is given the dignity and autonomy that is her right—and the access to information, services, and care that is our responsibility.