Dealing with the backlash againstreproductive rights

Drashko KostovskiHERA, Macedonia

ECF 2016

Macedonia

• Independence: 1991• Population: 2.1 million • Upper – middle income country • No access to holistic sexuality education• Low uptake of contraception (12%)• The rate of abortions has been steadily decreasing• Highest rate of perinatal deaths in Europe• Freedom house: partly free

“If Beethoven parents have decided to undergone an abortion the world would have

been left shorter of the musical masterpiece Ode to joy”.

“Choose life, you have a right to choose”

Congratulations! The abortion was successful.

You have just killed a healthy baby boy or a girl.

Main properties of the campaign

• Broadcasted for 7 years now during national sport teams matches and Christmas

• 6 video clips in all of them the main characters are men

• Approximate cost of €4 million • Main insight: ban abortion and the population

growth will be accelerated• Main purpose: preparation for amending the law

in 2013

The abortion law amended 2013

• Mandatory written request • Mandatory dissuasive counselling• A mandatory waiting period (women with

inevitable miscarriage and foetal death have been forced to wait for the elapse of the three days) • Greatly increased fines for medical

providers

After 4 years of campaigning*

• 61% of the respondents have seen at least one video clip

• 63% are accepting the campaign messages• The effect was on young people 15-24 years

old• Still 67% of the population thinks that women

should freely decide on undergoing an abortion.

*(Ugurovska, 2013)

HERA’s social media campaigns 2013

It’s all about You, 2015

Cloud messages

Youtube:HERAMAcedonia

Survey 2015Public opinion 2013 2016Is abortion a women’s choice?

67% agree 60% agree

The new law on abortion /right of choice?

50% reduce 70% reduce

Is abortion a wrong choice?

35% disagree 43% disagree

Results• 2 restrictive amendments blocked • NGO Platform established• First public statement by woman who had

been victim of the new law• Commitment by the opposition leadership to

amend the law• HRCtte Concluding observations 2015 to

amend the law

Future plans

• Maintain effective outlets and dates: Twitter and 28th September (Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion)

• Record more case studies, stimulate women to share their stories

• Keep the supporters informed, reach out for those who have access only to traditional media

Thank you!hera.org.mkwww.youtube.com/HERAMacedoniawww.twitter.com/hera_mkdwww.youtube.com/HERAMacedonia