http://www.ipas.org Ipas works globally to increase women's ability to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and to reduce abortion-related deaths and injuries. We seek to expand the availability, quality and sustainability of abortion and related reproductive-health services, as well as to improve the enabling environment. Ipas believes that no woman should have to risk her life or health because she lacks safe reproductive-health choices. en-us 120 SAT, 13 MAR 2010 24:06:35 EST http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Exping_access_to_medical_abortion_building_on_past_experience.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Exping_access_to_medical_abortion_building_on_past_experience.aspx Last week about 170 providers, advocates, policymakers and nongovernmental organization representatives gathered to share information, strategies and resources on medical abortion in Lisbon, Portugal, at a conference hosted by the International Consortium for Medical Abortion (ICMA) and co-sponsored by Ipas and Gynuity Health Projects. THU, 11 MAR 2010 EST 77 51 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Exping_access_to_medical_abortion_building_on_past_experience.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file577_4886.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/National_Day_of_Appreciation_for_Abortion_Providers.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/National_Day_of_Appreciation_for_Abortion_Providers.aspx March 10 is the National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. Abortion providers make reproductive choice possible for American women and often offer critical support and care. Yet the number of doctors and clinicians able to perform abortion procedures or administer abortion medication is declining, making access to an essential health-care service increasingly difficult. MON, 08 MAR 2010 EST 40 52 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/National_Day_of_Appreciation_for_Abortion_Providers.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file505_4882.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/International_Womens_Day.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/International_Womens_Day.aspx SUN, 07 MAR 2010 EST 62 52 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/International_Womens_Day.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file518_4883.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Increasing_young_womens_access_to_information_about_safe_medical_abortion.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Increasing_young_womens_access_to_information_about_safe_medical_abortion.aspx During the week of February 15, Ipas invited several guest speakers as “Experts in Residence” regarding young women’s access to medical abortion. The workshops and discussions focused on expanding young women’s access to medical abortion, understanding the unique barriers they face and identifying innovative strategies to create opportunities for change. MON, 01 MAR 2010 EST 77 51 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Increasing_young_womens_access_to_information_about_safe_medical_abortion.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file481_4869.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Reproductive_rights_in_Colombia_under_attack.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Reproductive_rights_in_Colombia_under_attack.aspx The Colombian Procurador — the official in charge of monitoring human rights in public actions — with financial help from U.S.-funded Plan Colombia, has unleashed a campaign against women’s reproductive rights, including abortion and emergency contraception. Monica Roa, the Colombian lawyer who argued — and won — the case to recognize abortion as a sexual and reproductive right in Colombia, discusses the revived debate on the topic. TUE, 16 FEB 2010 EST 35 52 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Reproductive_rights_in_Colombia_under_attack.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file912_4847.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Ipas_mourns_death_of_abortion-access_pioneer_Susan_Hill.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Ipas_mourns_death_of_abortion-access_pioneer_Susan_Hill.aspx Ipas was saddened to learn this week about the death of our neighbor, friend and colleague, Susan Hill. A native of Durham, N.C., Hill helped to open the first legal abortion clinic in Orlando, Florida in 1973, and two years later founded the National Women’s Health Organization in Raleigh, N.C. For more than 35 years she worked tirelessly to increase women’s access to safe abortion care in the United States. FRI, 05 FEB 2010 EST http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Reproductive_Health_in_the_News_February_4_2010.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Reproductive_Health_in_the_News_February_4_2010.aspx This week, we've been following stories regarding maternal mortality in the news. THU, 04 FEB 2010 EST 54 76 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Reproductive_Health_in_the_News_February_4_2010.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file380_4815.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Ipas_in_North_Carolina_Improving_immigrants_access_to_reproductive_health_care.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Ipas_in_North_Carolina_Improving_immigrants_access_to_reproductive_health_care.aspx Headquartered in North Carolina, Ipas is using its international reproductive health expertise to improve the quality of sexual and reproductive health for Latino/a immigrants living in the state. A recent study by the Guttmacher Institute indicates that Latinas have the highest rate of teen pregnancies in the state, yet these teens may not have access to the same sexual and reproductive health care and information as their non-Latino/a counterparts. North Carolina’s Latino/a immigrants face a number of unique challenges in the area of sexual and reproductive health, including language barriers, lack of knowledge about available services, and ingrained community attitudes regarding reproductive health care. In addition, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health points out that many Latinas are low-income and are less likely to have private insurance, and therefore are less likely to access a full range of sexual and reproductive health-care options. MON, 01 FEB 2010 EST 77 51 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Ipas_in_North_Carolina_Improving_immigrants_access_to_reproductive_health_care.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file892_4798.jpg http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Anti-abortion_activist_found_guilty_of_first_degree_murder.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Anti-abortion_activist_found_guilty_of_first_degree_murder.aspx Several news outlets are announcing today that Scott Roeder, convicted of killing abortion provider Dr. Tiller last May, has been found guilty of first-degree murder. FRI, 29 JAN 2010 EST http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Engaging_communities_on_sexual_reproductive_health_issues.aspx?ref=rss http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Engaging_communities_on_sexual_reproductive_health_issues.aspx The Community Engagement and Mobilization (CEM) unit of Ipas, while new, has already initiated significant work around the world to increase women’s access to reproductive health care and to advance their reproductive and sexual rights. Formed in 2007 to guide the steadily expanding work at the community level in Ipas program countries, CEM’s work deliberately shifts focus from women as recipients of services towards the recognition of their voices, leadership and experience as essential to the creation of and demand for quality, affordable, women-centered care. MON, 25 JAN 2010 EST 77 51 http://www.ipas.org/Library/News/News_Items/Engaging_communities_on_sexual_reproductive_health_issues.aspx?ref=rss /Library/News/News_Items/asset_upload_file575_4784.jpg