International Campaign for Womens Right to Safe Abortion - Assignment Example

Social Campaign Analysis: International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion By (Student’s Name) Name of Class Professor’s Name University City of University (Location) Date 1. Introduction 1.1 Background Owing to the increasing desire for addressing women’s need for access to safe abortion, a network comprising of regional, international, and national organizations, as well as individuals and groups was launched in 2012. It comprises of 113 member countries and about 1,132 regional, national and international organizations. This network is dubbed ‘International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion’ (ICWRSA). With a key focus to challenge rather conformist political and religious groups that seek to diminish efforts for improvement of abortion laws and family planning inventiveness, the network’s members collaboratively work for the promotion of women’s rights legitimacy of access to abortion services. More areas that the campaign works in, is sensitizing women on general women reproductive health, their inherent human rights as well as safe motherhood initiatives (ICWRSA’s Website). A social movement refers to structures and strategies organized in such a manner as to endow populations considered as deprived. Such empowerment enables the oppressed population to effectively stand the challenges and repel the otherwise considered societal elites. Social movements are often huge, formal and often informal individuals’ or organizational groupings that pay attention to certain social or political concerns (Tarrow, 1994). The ICWRSA is such a movement. It comprises of organizations globally, nationally and region-wise drawn, that came together with a focus to address the social issue of women’s access to safe abortion. Both social and political goals of the campaign centre on influencing abortion laws legislation and general improvement of women’s reproductive health. Just like many other social movements, the campaign’s activities in a bid to achieve its goals revolve around advocacy, trainings and service delivery, general capacity building on human and especially women’s rights, reformation of laws and policies regarding women’s health, networking and information sharing. Members to the campaign have found it meaningful to join efforts in fighting for women’s access to safe abortions. 1.2 Study’s aims This study has chosen the ICWRSA because it is a huge movement, and with information for analysis of social movement strategies. The aim of this analysis is to reflect on the campaign, relate it to social movement theory and explain how the event’s tactics reflects on social movements’ themes. Further, it will assess the results and accomplishments that the campaign has so far been able to achieve. 2. An Outline of Campaign Event and Methodology 2.1 Campaign Event The ICWRSA undertakes various activities. First and foremost, the campaign engages in activities of abortion law reformation. For instance in Australia, the Protection Minister for Nauru Border introduced a bill to decriminalise abortion but only for asylum seekers and refugees although it was later withdrawn by the government. Another bill on abortion reform was tabled by Green Party in South Wales, and in Queensland but the latter was not passed as it was to be amended before it could be passed (ICWRSA’s Website). Further, the movement also shares information on blog posts in a bid to sensitize the public on the need for abortion in order to attract support for the course. They explain the status of progress since the social movement’s initiation to date. Challenges faced in the campaign are stated as experienced in the various member states. For instance, from Nauru Island, a raped young African refugee who had had pleaded to be taken to Australia to procure abortion in vain but was assisted by a lawyer who to communicated the case to the media and government condemning the denial of access to travel as racially discriminating (ICWRSA’s Website). From various member states implementing the campaign, data gathered against campaign’s objectives is reviewed for further action. This review also informs the campaign of its achievements on yearly basis and as per the member state. For instance, in the late 2015, Australia launched Tabbot Foundation’s telephone service for abortion generating nearly 100 calls in a day and about 40 cases of consultation in a week (ICWRSA’s Website). Additionally, doctors in the country have called for General Practitioners (GPs), to offer an all-inclusive abortion services to women from rural areas. The campaign has also been involved in regulating service delivery at counselling centres for anti-abortion. Abortion in Victoria remains decriminalised since 2008 which aligned the law to clinical practice and attitudes of the community. Service providers have contended that this law reformation has shifted abortion to more of a health service rather than a legal issue. Women are more empowered to decide for themselves regarding abortion and law reformation on abortion has made it clearer and safer to health providers. Further, protestors of anti-abortion are barred from distressing women who receive abortion services outside the clinics (ICWRSA’s Website). This has greatly helped reduce stigma among women who receive the service. Campaigns derive and use campaign statements that serve as important tools in driving awareness, action and thrill in order to sweep everyone in their paths. The ICWRSA has similarly adopted this strategy. These include ‘Free and Safe Abortion Now,’ as was used at Queensland in a demonstration, and the most recent one done on May 24th 2017, regarding presumed mass murder intentions especially for women by Donald Trump. This followed after the U.S President introduced the Global Gag Rule (GGR) (Mantesso, 2017). The campaign in its statement aimed at sensitizing the public of the grave health related impacts implementation of GGR would bring especially upon women. Another campaign statement by the movement was an open letter done to Secretary General of the UN and other heads of UN Agencies communicating on the need to pronounce September 28 an official UN day for Safe Abortion, and for which informal responses were received (ICWRSA’s Website). The campaign, since its inception has made several campaign statements. 2.2 Methodology 2.2.1. Data collection tools Data for this study, triangulation was applied. Data was gathered from primary and secondary data sources. 2.2.1.1 Primary data Annual reports, press releases, newsletters and end of year reviews from ICWRSA. The primary data aided in analysing the movement’s campaign in terms of its organization and structure while advocating for law reforms on access of women to benign and lawful abortion. 2.2.1.2 Secondary data To better understand and analyse data derived from primary sources a theoretical framework was needed. This was obtained from review of literature on social movement theory and the manner in which social movement actions result to positive societal transformation in social and political issues. Further, the operationalization of social movement theory has been well put by Tarrow (1994) especially in the Australian context where campaigns have been employed in the fight for restoration of the right of women to access benign and legitimate abortion. 2.2.2 Justification data collection tools Because of convenience, and cost implications, most of the survey was done using online sources that included: following media reports, blogposts, newspapers, annual reports and press releases (Norris, 2002). Another reason for this is that the campaign was aimed at covering many parts of the world whereby visiting would have been impractical. 2.2.3 Data Analysis Data was analysed qualitatively by looking at reports – making deductions, and conducting a comparative analysis. Information gathered from both primary and secondary data collection tools on the campaign were meaningful. However, information derived from primary sources was compared against that derived from secondary sources for objectivity. For instance, information from annual reports of ICWRSA as well as campaign statements were compared against media reports and international health bodies like WHO. 3. Findings and Analysis 3.1 How event was structured and organized Launched back in May 2012, the campaign’s activities are implemented globally in over 100 countries by approximately 1,132 organizations including both international and networks that are regional, organizations and institutions, NGOs, agencies, as well as groups (of women for instance) and coalitions Tarrow. Additionally, health experts, journalists, legislators, activists of human rights as well as students and scholars have been key active and interested parties in the campaign. 3.1.1 Campaign’s Specific Objectives Strategic partnerships building with key stakeholders including the United Nations and bodies of human rights, governments, health experts and ministry officials. Endorsing safe abortion’s legitimacy in all meetings on rights and health of women, and issues touching on family planning and benign motherhood. Capacity building on the advocacy for women’s right to innocuous abortions. Supporting leadership among young women within the campaign and other levels. Making visible the impacts of unsafe and illegal abortions on women. Sensitizing the public on the need for carrying out safe and legal abortion in order for them to understand and support the course. Committing to offer protection to those women and health experts procuring legal and safe abortions. Supporting guidance that is evidence based for abortion as provided by the World Health Organization. Developing and disseminating of information that will counter the anti-choice movement influences and restore abortion language as a moral choice and lastly, Growing public funds availability for abortion. 3.1.2 Campaign’s Guiding Principles The guiding principles for the campaign include a strong belief in the advocacy for safe and legal abortion noting that it is a woman’s basic human right, based on which she should at free will, decide what to do with her body free from intimidation. The social movement’s campaigners also believe that women’s rights are human rights that should not only be protected, but also respected and fulfilled. To this effect thus, she should have an environment suitable to facilitate her achieve meaningful health, benefit from scientific advancements, achieve bodily integrity, access information and enjoy freedom such that she is not treated inhumanely or in a degrading manner. Therefore, denying women a right to safe and legal abortion predisposes them to inhumane, degrading and discriminatory environment. Thirdly, the campaigners act on the principle that abortion should not be criminalised, outlawed or restricted. Women receiving abortion aid or health professionals should not be stigmatized nor harassed. In this regard therefore, the campaigners act to remove the laws that put barriers to safe and legal abortion. In connection to this is the principle of barrier removal Tarrow of safe abortion that may put a woman’s life at risk because she cannot access safe and legal services. 3.2 Social movement theory The campaign is illustrative of a social movement theory. In its definition, a social movement theory refers to the study of related disciplines in the social sciences category, universally aimed at enlightening on why social mobilization is carried out, ways in which it exhibits potential cultural and socio-political magnitudes (Habermas, 1981). It is worth noting that social movements study has since recently been incorporated into argumentative politics’ study. An analytical look at the campaign under study reveals that, various social science disciplines are involved. These include law, politics and sociological studies. Further, in the campaigns specific aims, it is stated that mobilization shall be done to sensitize the public on the importance for women’s access to safe and legal abortion so they may understand and support the course. Politically, governments especially those from member states where the network campaign is operational, and that have promised to deliver on health sector especially with reproductive health and safe motherhood are on check for positive results. Socio-culturally, religious bodies especially the Catholic Church is against pro-choice, which is being advocated for by the campaign. 3.3 Tactics of social movement and strategies Generally, these involve confrontations in the streets, mass demonstrations, speeches and moves. Often, talks are cheaper than moves, however, when a social movement wishes to exhibit willingness to incur cost to pass across the message, shows may be applied. In the case of ICWRSA, demonstrations (e.g. at Queensland) and speeches have been used in the campaign. Both verbal and written appeals have been made especially to UN and its Agencies (request for UN official safe abortion day), policymakers (help in influencing abortion law reforms) and legislative bodies (appeals for abortion law reforms) on various matters pertaining to the social issue in question. Additionally, the campaign stands out with their choice of campaign statements, e.g., the one about Donald Trump and mass murder especially for women-the message’s confrontational touch is amazing. 3.4 Assessment of success of event Based on information gotten from primary and secondary sources indicates that, while there is success in some member states regarding access to safe and legal abortion, victims still face challenges. For instance, the refugee from Nauru whose pregnancy resulted from rape was denied a chance to travel and procure an abortion in Australia despite attempting the request twice. Additionally, even with abortion law information in Victoria, Australia, there have been unresolved agonies. The provision of Public surgical abortion is restricted, there is reduced admittance to abortion for pregnancies with gestation age of over 20 weeks, inequality in access to abortion, workforce is unsustainable and stigma is still ongoing. The situation is however different in Australia’s Northern Territory. There has been a breakthrough with enactment of the new abortion law which allows to women of all ages to procure abortion. Women can and may access surgical and medical abortion services from both hospital and non-hospital facilities subject to gestation age. In fact, Tabbot Foundation has been authorized to extend its abortion consultancy to NT, a region it had been prohibited to operate (ICWRSA’s Website). The social movement has already released annual reports for campaign activities for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 stating the objectives, achievements and outcomes. Challenges that they may have encountered while advocating for law reformation in regard to abortion are also provided. These reports clearly show progress since inception of the campaign to present time. For instance, the annual report for year 2016 reports that, the social movement in its fourth year has greatly achieved in the establishment of an international network (ICWRSA’s Website). Further, contending that such establishment has enabled them to realize greater impacts and in turn, justifying the campaign’s endeavour from past and continued support to function as an umbrella body. The said reports are accessible on the social movement’s website. 4. Conclusion ICWRSA has since its inception, stood challenges associated with socio-cultural and political aspects typically known to hurdle campaign efforts. However, there is much to be done in some countries where pro-choice opponents vehemently resist the change being advocated for. Rwanda is a good example. However, there has been tremendous results in other states like the Northern Territory of Australia where abortion law has been enacted. States like Chile among others, have recommendations on the issue pending, but meanwhile, women are accessing safe abortion services. Change is inevitable and with changing societal needs, interventions as well as policies and legislation need to be as well, articulated. The existence of justifiable reasons for a need to provide women with safe and legal abortion laws including foetal unviability, mother’s health and pregnancies resulting from rape have remained key factors for this campaign to remain relevant and enthusiastic universally. Additionally, acknowledgment of women rights as human rights that should be protected, recognized and respected continue to propel forward, the campaigns efforts in advocacy on the issue. Bibliography Tarrow, Sidney G. "Collective action and social movements" in Power in Movement: Social Movements, Collective Action, and Politics , Tarrow, Sidney G. , 1994 , 9-27 Habermas, Jurgen. "New social movements" Telos , 49: , 1981 , 33-37 Norris, Pippa. "New social movements, protest politics and the internet" in Democratic Phoenix: Reinventing Political Activism, Norris, Pippa , 2002 , 188-212 Mantesso Sean. 2017. ABC News. Australian Christian Lobby campaigns for Trump-style abortion gag on aid providers. Retrieved from, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-01/australian-christian-lobby-campaigns-for-abortion-gag/8487502 accessed on 1st June 2017 International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion Website. 2016. 2016 Annual Report. Retrieved from, http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/International-Campaign-for-Womens-Right-to-Safe-Abortion-Annual-Report-2016.pdf accessed on 1st June 2017 International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion Website. 2016. Campaigning for the Right to Safe Abortion: Highlights of the Year 2016. Retrieved from, http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/campaigning-for-the-right-to-safe-abortion-highlights-of-the-year-2016/ accessed on 1st June 2016 International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion Website. 2016. Trump Global Gag Rule: Campaign Statement and a Report from PAI. Retrieved from, http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/6902-2/ accessed on 1st June 2016 International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion Website. 2016. In Australia Queenslanders rejects bill to decriminalise abortion as ‘not good enough.’ Retrieved from, http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/in-australia-queenslanders-rejects-bill-to-decriminalise-abortion-as-not-good-enough/ accessed on 3rd June 2016 International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion Website. 2016. Consequences of abortion law reform in Victoria, Australia: perspectives of 19 abortion providers. Retrieved from, http://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/consequences-of-abortion-law-reform-in-victoria-australia-perspectives-of-19-abortion-providers/ accessed on 3rd June 2016 Read More