Abortion Ship to provide free services in Guatemala

In collaboration with Guatemalan organisations, the Women on Waves ship will visit the harbor of Puerto San Jose, at Marina Pez Vela. The ship can provide women with free legal medical abortions till 10 weeks of pregnancy after sailing to international waters, 12 miles outside Guatemala. Women with unwanted pregnancies in need of help can call  (502) 22786724
On Thursday February 23th at 11 am there will be a press conference in the restaurant at Puerto Marina Pez Vela. For more press information please call: (502) 4845 6767

Abortion is only allowed to save a woman's life under the Guatemalan Criminal Code. As a result an estimated 65.000 illegal and unsafe abortions take place in Guatemala each year. Yearly, approximately 21.600 women are hospitalized with complications and unsafe abortions are the third cause of maternal death in the country (Guttmacher insitute). Especially at the dawn of the Zika crisis, access to safe abortion is fundamentally an issue of social justice. 

Women on Waves can provide the abortion pill up to 10 weeks of pregnancy after sailing to international waters 12 miles outside the Guatemalan territorial waters. The ship will be in Guatemala for 5 days. Counseling, treatment and aftercare will be done according to high European medical standards. The medicines used for a medical abortion are a combination of two pills that have been on the list of essential medicines of the WHO since 2005. Scientific research by the World health Organisation has shown that medical abortion is very safe and effective.  

Women who need help can call +50222786724

To improve woman's health status and protect their human rights, we urge the Guatemalan government to:

• Remove abortion from the penal code. Abortion is a regular medical procedure and a human right, as recognized by many States and international organizations;

• Provide evidence bases sexual education in schools;

• Ensure access to contraceptives;

• Ensure access to free and safe abortions.

Furthermore, during this week, the participants will conduct workshops on medical abortion for women, young women and activists interested to join in.

For more press information, please contact: (502) 4845 6767

To learn more about abortion in Guatemala, the legal landscape and Human Rights, please click here.

Please click here to donate for the abortion ship