From unwanted pregnancy to safe abortion: Sharing information about abortion in Asia through animation

Abstract

Abstract

Although unsafe abortion continues to be a leading cause of maternal mortality in many countries in Asia, the right to safe abortion remains highly stigmatized across the region. The Asia Safe Abortion Partnership, a regional network advocating for safe abortion, produced an animated short film entitled From Unwanted Pregnancy to Safe Abortion to show in conferences, schools and meetings in order to share knowledge about the barriers to safe abortion in Asia and to facilitate conversations on the right to safe abortion. This paper describes the making of this film, its objectives, content, dissemination and how it has been used. Our experience highlights the advantages of using animated films in addressing highly politicized and sensitive issues like abortion. Animation helped to create powerful advocacy material that does not homogenize the experiences of women across a diverse region, and at the same time emphasize the need for joint activities that express solidarity.

Résumé

Même si l’avortement à risque demeure une cause majeure de mortalité maternelle dans beaucoup de pays d’Asie, le droit à un avortement sûr reste un fort motif de stigmatisation dans l’ensemble de la région. L’Asia Safe Abortion Partnership, réseau régional qui plaide pour un avortement sans risque, a produit un film d’animation intitulé « D’une grossesse non désirée à un avortement sûr ». Ce court métrage peut être diffusé dans des conférences, des écoles et des réunions pour partager les connaissances sur les obstacles à un avortement sûr en Asie et faciliter les conversations sur le droit à un avortement sans risque. L’article décrit la réalisation du film, ses objectifs, son contenu, sa diffusion et l’utilisation qui en a été faite. Notre expérience montre les avantages de l’emploi de films animés pour aborder des questions extrêmement politisées et sensibles comme l’avortement. L’animation a créé un matériel de plaidoyer efficace qui n’homogénéise pas les expériences des femmes à travers une région diverse tout en soulignant la nécessité d’activités conjointes qui expriment la solidarité.

Resumen

A pesar de que el aborto inseguro continúa siendo una de las principales causas de mortalidad materna en muchos países de Asia, el derecho al aborto seguro continúa siendo muy estigmatizado en toda la región. La Alianza Asiática por el Aborto Seguro, una red regional que aboga por el aborto seguro, produjo un cortometraje animado titulado “Desde el embarazo no deseado hasta el aborto seguro” (From Unwanted Pregnancy to Safe Abortion) para mostrarlo en conferencias, escuelas y reuniones, con el fin de compartir los conocimientos sobre las barreras para obtener servicios de aborto seguro en Asia, así como para facilitar conversaciones sobre el derecho al aborto seguro. En este artículo se describe la producción de este cortometraje, sus objetivos, contenido, difusión y cómo ha sido utilizado. Nuestra experiencia destaca las ventajas de utilizar películas animadas para abordar temas muy politizados y delicados como el aborto. La animación ayuda a crear material influyente que no homogeneiza las experiencias de las mujeres en una región diversa, y a la vez hace hincapié en la necesidad de llevar a cabo actividades conjuntas que expresen solidaridad.

Key Words:

• safe abortion
• abortion stigma
• animated film
• advocacy
• Asia

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the grant received through the ASAP Small Grant Programme. The production costs and dissemination costs were covered from this grant.

Notes

* The study was conducted in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Sri Lanka. While a majority of the stakeholders across the region did not seem to be fully aware of the abortion laws and policies in their countries, their attitudes and misconceptions depended to a large extent on the country they came from and local attitudes towards abortion in that country. Stakeholders in India, Indonesia and Nepal largely supported the view that abortion was a woman’s right. However, in Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines and Sri Lanka, a majority of the stakeholders held the view that abortion was in conflict with their religious beliefs. While a number of them agreed that abortion could be permitted for public health reasons, they were not of the view that it could be considered a woman’s right.¹¹.

† http://asap-asia.org/country-profiles/ .

‡ Why Did Mrs X Die, Retold is a remake of the 1988 World Health Organization film Why Did Mrs X Die. This film was produced to educate midwives, health workers and key stakeholders about the complications of pregnancy, and of pregnancy-related mortality. WHO remade this film in 2012 because the key issues had not changed for so many women in spite of progress made between 1988 and 2012.

§ http://asap-asia.org/blog/from-unwanted-pregnancies-to-safe-abortion/#sthash.WZ0cMsJX.dpbs.

** Unfortunately, ASAP’s social media were hacked at the time this article was being written, resetting the tools used for measuring the number of posts shared on these platforms. We can therefore only indicate this success anecdotally.

†† We originally intended to include a Farsi version, but this had to be postponed indefinitely for technical reasons. Translations into the other languages proceeded smoothly.