To reduce the high number of women dying from unsafe abortion, Mozambique in 2014 legalised abortion up to 12 weeks and beyond in cases of rape, incest, and severe foetal anomalies such as heart defects. This essential care is provided free of charge. But even though abortion is free and legal, other barriers including stigma and misinformation can still make it difficult to access safe care.
In the city of Beira, Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provides safe abortion care to women, girls, and other pregnant people from communities that are often excluded from health services or who might avoid seeking care for fear of stigma or discrimination, including sex workers and adolescents.
To increase access to safe abortion care across the city, MSF’s team also trains staff working at clinics run by the Mozambican Ministry of Health.