This year, we will host a series of reproductive health talks. These talks are designed to expose audience members to a broad range of reproductive health topics, organizations, researchers, and projects.

The first talk of the semester was facilitated by the co-conveners of Inroads. Kati LeTourneau and Katie Gillum gave an engaging presentation on their work and how individuals and organizations are combatting abortion stigma around the world. Rather than being a network of organizations, the Inroads network is comprised of individual members. Gillum and LeTourneau stressed the importance of this, because “we interact with stigma as humans and individuals first” so transforming and dismantling stigma must start on an individual level.  One of their goals is “to transform (stigma) by bringing people together who don’t often get together.” Each member brings their own expertise to the community, provides support to other members, and asks for guidance and feedback from the network.

So why stigma? As Kati said, “Stigma is a barrier that stops us from doing our work”.  When Ipas reviewed their programs and research, over and over stigma came up as a significant barrier. Inroads was started to build a movement to dismantle this stigma to enable reproductive health professionals to fully succeed in their programming.

Kati LeTourneau and Katie Gillum describe some of the resources in the Inroads network.

One of the most profound findings from a review of the network was the sense of solidarity that members gained by being part of Inroads. Member after member from all over the world reported how being part of Inroads made them feel less alone. This is an incredible testament to the power of networks, and the deep investment members have in this work, and transforming abortion rights in their community.  Inroads members are making change around the world. Members are doing everything from designing scales to measure stigma, developing tools and curriculum which can be adapted in different communities, and using art to combat stigma.

Inroads is committed to a world where:

“Abortion is understood as a common, and necessary occurrence. Abortions are not isolated from family planning and contraceptive services. People who need abortion have access to it where they need it, how the need it, when they need it, and at a price they can pay, or free. Abortion is integrated to pre-service and in-service training and is an integral part of comprehensive reproductive rights. Laws do not differentiate between who can have an abortion and who can’t. Anybody can have the abortion they need. Abortion is a common part of media discourse and is supported by positive imagery and language. Community based organizations can and do advocate for and address abortion service access, without jeopardizing their local community partnerships, without jeopardizing their other funding, and [without jeopardizing] the funding of their other SRHR services.”

Interested in joining? Sign up here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.