Harm reduction, human rights, and access to information on safer abortion

Abstract

A harm reduction and human rights approach, grounded in the principles of neutrality, humanism, and pragmatism, supports women's access to information on the safer self- use of misoprostol in diverse legal settings. Neutrality refers to a focus on the risks and harms of abortion rather than its legal or moral status. Humanism refers to the entitlement of all women to care and concern for their lives and health, to be treated with respect, worth, and dignity, and to the empowerment of women to participate in decision-making and political action. Pragmatism accepts the historical reality that women will engage in unsafe abortion, including self-induction, while addressing factors that render them vulnerable to this reality, and requires assessment of interventions to reduce abortion-related harms on evidence of their real rather than intended effect. Criminal law reform is a necessary conclusion to a harm reduction and human rights approach.

Using a harm reduction lens to examine post-intervention results of medical abortion training among Zambian pharmacists

“…13 Women in Zambia also deserve to benefit from scientific advances regarding safe induced abortion, whether or not they reach a health facility. 9 These study results demonstrate that Zambian pharmacy workers have a role to play in safe abortion services and that some are willing to play that role, even though they may choose to not sell medical abortion products directly.…”

“…8,9 The strategy is valuable for countries or contexts where abortion is prohibited or heavily stigmatized, and was first posited by legal scholar Joanna Erdman. 9 The three core principles of harm reduction, as posited by Erdman ( Figure 1) -neutrality, humanism and pragmatism -were used to create a conceptual framework for analyzing the effects of training on abortion for pharmacy workers.…”

“…8,9 The strategy is valuable for countries or contexts where abortion is prohibited or heavily stigmatized, and was first posited by legal scholar Joanna Erdman. 9 The three core principles of harm reduction, as posited by Erdman ( Figure 1) -neutrality, humanism and pragmatism -were used to create a conceptual framework for analyzing the effects of training on abortion for pharmacy workers. 9 The principle of neutrality includes refraining from negative judgments and creating obstruction, and would be demonstrated by improved attitudes, willingness to share information about abortion and a decreased likelihood of providing misinformation.…”

“…9 The three core principles of harm reduction, as posited by Erdman ( Figure 1) -neutrality, humanism and pragmatism -were used to create a conceptual framework for analyzing the effects of training on abortion for pharmacy workers. 9 The principle of neutrality includes refraining from negative judgments and creating obstruction, and would be demonstrated by improved attitudes, willingness to share information about abortion and a decreased likelihood of providing misinformation. The principle of humanism was measured by increased willingness to address requests related to abortion with accurate information and referrals to services.…”

Garantindo uma resposta do setor de saúde com foco nos direitos das mulheres afetadas pelo vírus Zika

“…The harm reduction model, which seeks to ensure that women have access to scientificallybased and neutral counseling, has been implemented in other contexts with similarly restrictive abortion laws, including Uruguay prior to its liberalization of abortion laws 13 . Such neutral counseling includes information on the risks associated with different means to induce abortion and signs of complications that require immediate attention.…”