Learn All About Indian Abortion Rights & Advocacy Via This Free Course

According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (MTP Act), abortions are permitted in India only up to 20 weeks under prescribed conditions and circumstances. Beyond 20 weeks however, abortions are only permitted when the doctor believes that continuing with the pregnancy might involve risk to the woman’s life. On 17 March, 2020 the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha with very little deliberation. It increased the gestation limit for termination of pregnancies from 20 to 24 weeks. Even though it was hailed as one of the most progressive laws in independent India, it did not give agency or bodily autonomy to the woman. In fact abortion is still a taboo topic in India and access to it is still difficult if you’re not a married woman. There are also a number of myths surrounding abortions in India and many young women are in the blue about how to go about it safely.

The YP Foundation (TYPF) is a feminist, intersectional, rights-based organisation that works to advance adolescent and youth rights by building young people’s leadership. The organisation’s Safe Abortions For Everyone (SAFE) programme aims to use a multi-pronged approach to create an enabling environment for safe abortion through evidence generation and youth-led advocacy. It aims to tackle the taboo around abortion by understanding abortion stigma among young people, exploring the prevalence of myths and misconceptions about abortion, and by creating an enabling environment for meaningful youth engagement around sexual and reproductive health, with a focus on Kerala and Assam.

Supported by Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF), TYPF is now offering an 8-week long free and interactive online course on Abortion Rights and Advocacy in Malayalam and Assamese. This course is meant for people in the age group of 18-35. It is focused on building knowledge and skills for undertaking safe abortion advocacy. The courses will tentatively be launched in mid-March.

Interested people can register for the Malayalam course here and the Assamese course here.

Feature Image Designed By Alia Sinha (@minor_grace on Instagram)

You can check out TYPF’s site here.

Check out their Instagram here.

If you enjoyed reading this article, we suggest you also read:

Five Unmarried Indian Women Break The Silence Around Abortion

Indian Women Need Court’s Permission For Abortions?

Doctor Battles Female Foeticide By Delivering Baby Girls For Free