The past year and a half has been a tumultuous time for lot of people as the pandemic has ushered in a new normal, changing our lives in more ways than one. A large part of that involves managing almost every aspect of life with a large number of hours spent being at home, which…
The world has made significant strides on reducing the causes of maternal mortality. However, unsafe abortion still stands as a blight on any progress that has been achieved thus far. As Marie Stopes South Africa, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to go a step further into educating and fighting unsafe and illegal abortion providers. What…
The COVID-19 crisis is a major global event that has greatly impacted the healthcare service industry and society. At Marie Stopes South Africa, we endeavour to continue providing the best sexual and reproductive health services to the women in our communities. Our centres have remained open and fully operational during these trying times and have…
Romantic breakups are among the most common events to happen in people’s lives and ironically because they are universal, the mental trauma it causes tends to be overlooked. The truth is that relationships are founded on intense emotions, and if it ends, there are a slew of different feelings such as sadness, rejection, anger and…
Abortion is a polarising, highly emotional issue for a couple; however, you must know that you shouldn’t feel ashamed or scared to speak to your partner about wanting an abortion. In this article, we’ll provide you with five ways to help discuss abortion with your significant other. Your body, your choice All South African women…
You’ve never heard of Marie Stopes South Africa and our initiatives? No problem. In this article, we’re going to give you an overview of our mission to empower women to take control of their sexual health. We are an organisation committed to providing women across the country with sexual and reproductive health knowledge and services.…
Abortion takes an emotional toll on many women. Temporary feelings of shame and guilt are common, but they usually subside quite quickly. However, women, especially those who have dangerous backstreet abortions, are usually not told about post-abortion emotions, and this can cause a spiral of heightened feelings of anxiety and even cause depression. Even though…
Marie Stopes South Africa is dedicated to providing safe abortion procedures in facilities that are clean and easily accessible to the public. Medication and surgical (in-clinic) abortions are administered/performed by qualified medical professionals.
The Abortion Stigma in South Africa There is a global stigma attached to the word ‘abortion’. It carries negative connotations such as ‘dirty’, ‘embarrassment’ and ‘humiliation’; this leads to women seeking ‘backstreet’ abortions, which are illegal, unsafe and often ineffective. Today, we’re fighting back in an effort to erase abortion stigma in South Africa.
Why don’t we talk about sex? It’s imperative that teens know about the potential consequences of having unsafe sex. It can affect your future, your health and even put your life in jeopardy. Whether it’s due to lack of information or social stigma, tiptoeing around the subject stops right here, right now!