The International Centre for Reproductive Health Mozambique (ICRH-M) was set up in 2009 for the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights in Mozambique. Since 2020, SAAF has been funding ICRH-M’s work to increase access to contraception and safe abortion services.
Since beginning their SAAF-funded work, ICRH-M has provided over 3000 people with abortion and post-abortion care.
Natacha – Programme Manager
The law on its own doesn’t help people get safe abortions. It can’t go out into the community, to reach the people. So, we need action, we need courageous people who want to talk about it. Even though we were shy when we started, we realised that it opened up a space, that it saved lives, and we became more and more comfortable.
This work on safe abortion has been a great success. We must continue opening up space, giving women opportunities to make their own decisions about their lives and bodies. It’s an open window of opportunity, the chance for people to dream, to be free.
Victoria – Programme Officer
I lost a cousin to unsafe abortion. She went to the community and found a nurse there who inserted I don’t know what, at the time the common thing was a potassium product. She inserted it, waited, and stayed at home as it was taking place. When she arrived at the hospital, the uterus was completely rotten. I performed a surgery, but she lost her life right there in the theatre. The infection was already widespread, there was no way to save her.
So I appreciate the initiative of SAAF in supporting this project, which is really helping to save lives. We don’t really have many complications from unsafe abortions anymore. It’s helping a lot.
Sonia – Programme Officer
We work with the community. Because if the community isn’t aware of the risks of unsafe abortion, then we’re going to have a weak adherence to the health centre’s services.
When unsafe abortion happens, there are several people involved. For example, we have traditional midwives and those who practice traditional medicine. And we incorporate them in our meetings to show them the consequences of unsafe abortion. It’s a process, it’s not from today to tomorrow, it’s a process that is gradually taking effect.
We have certainly seen a reduction in deaths from unsafe abortions. There has also been a drastic reduction in the number of cases of unsafe abortion in our implementation centres, thanks to all these interventions.
Jaime – Provincial Coordinator
We face the issue of conscientious objection when it comes to medical providers refusing to provide abortion care. It’s especially an issue at the highest level. Sometimes a chain of people will consider themselves to be conscientious objectors, but you don’t know if it’s because they actually have a moral objection or just follow the person they report to.
It’s a really important issue to observe and monitor. Because if someone rejects a woman she may well go on to seek an unsafe abortion.
We have a process that starts with clarifying values. During the trainings, we explain to those who are objectors what procedures they have to follow by law. Everything that involves preparatory actions before the procedure, they do. Gradually some people have changed and they’re the ones who take the patients and give them referrals. Sometimes they may realise that what was an objection for them is not really an objection of conscience. Then they move on to providing services.
ICRH-M is a SAAF grantee partner.