With a quarter of the world’s population living in countries where abortion is illegal, the women who seek help for their unwanted pregnancy are often putting their lives in jeopardy. Each year 20 million illegal or unsafe abortions are performed which result in more than 70,000 deaths. As an attempt to save not only women’s freedom, but also their lives, the organization Women On Waves has discovered a legal and safe solution.
Women on Waves started in 1999 by Dr. Rebecca Gomperts who got the idea for the organization through her work on Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior. Her travels brought her face to face with advocates, doctors and women who were struggling with the lack of reproductive options. According to Gomperts: "The urgent desire to do something about this problem came when I learned the degree to which illegal abortion is a major public health concern, as the main cause of maternal mortality around the world."
Moreover, her work for Greenpeace also taught her about the laws of international waters. Thus this group of Dutch doctors have created a clinic-on-water, armed with the same technology as most land-based clinics, that will take women outside of their country's legal jurisdiction to provide them not only with abortion services but all sorts of reproductive information and supplies. According to the organization, "outside that 12-mile radius it is Dutch law that applies on board the Dutch ship and abortion is entirely legal in the Netherlands."
The organization is also doing their part in preventing unwanted and unplanned pregnancies from happening as well. The ship will also be equipped with a variety of birth control methods. Moreover, Women On Waves also recognizes the need for education, providing women with the tools and the knowledge to make informed decisions about their bodies.
Their plan is to leave their message and mission onshore after they have set sailed. By working with local doctors, lawyers, educators and advocates, the organization hopes to "draw public attention to the consequences of illegal abortion, and catalyze efforts to liberate abortion laws." Moreover, they plan to train local service providers with the skills needed to continue the work after the ship is gone.
A very real fear of backlash and protest to their activities has forced Women On Waves to make great lengths to ensure women’s anonymity and safety. With the help of security on and off board the ship and keeping their departure private, the organization hopes to make this difficult decision a little easier on the woman.
With so many women seeking out abortions, Women On Waves believes that it isn’t a question of whether abortions are being performed; it is a question of how safely. "The ship will continue to sail as long as there still is a medical need or demand for it, which means as long as there are still countries where women have no reproductive rights, and as long as there are still countries with restrictive abortion laws and women are dying due to illegal abortions."
