Ecuador, June 2008

photo by Mrova

The Coordinadora Juvenil por la Equidad de Género (Youth Committee for Gender Equity, ‘CPJ’) invited Women on Waves to come to Ecuador to support them in their stuggle to legalize abortion. Moreover we want to inform women of the possibility to do a safe abortion themselves with medicines, Cytotec, that are available in Ecuador.

For help in Ecuador: (593) 099004545

  • spraying graffiti

    spraying graffiti - 

    photo by Myra

The information about medical abortion that we provide is based on research done by the World Health Organization. (published in the Lancet. 2007 Jun 9;369(9577):1938-46.)
Click here to read an abstract of the article in the Lancet.
For instructions "How to do a safe abortion" please click here.

  • Diary: 

    Ecuador Diary

    June 14 th 2008, Women on Waves arrived in Ecuador. Here is a day by day account of the campaign, the action, the activists, the progress of the hotline, the reactions on the local level to this initiative and the personal impressions of the people involved.

  • video impression from the action

    On 17th of June the helpline got launched at the Virgin of Panecillo, a hill overlooking Quito. The action was part of campaign organized by Coordinadora Juvenil por la Equiad de Genero (Coordinating Group of Youth for Gender Equity) in cooperation with Women on Waves, to gain access to safe abortion in Ecuador.

  • Media Ecuador

  • Illegal abortion in Ecuador

    Women can go to jail for 1 to 5 years for an abortion. Those performing an abortion can go to jail for 2 to 5 years.

  • Press release: 17-06-2008

    Safe abortion with pills for Ecuadorean women

    The press conference will take place at the Panecillo in Quito at 11.30 with a surprise action during which the abortion helpline will be launched. The hotline (number 593 99004545) will provide women with information explaining how they can do a safe abortion themselves with pills at home.

    For more press information:

    Women on Waves:
    or +31652052561

    Coordinadora Juvenil:
    +593 8 2916415

  • How can I do an abortion?

    The best and safest way a woman can do an abortion herself until the 9th week of pregnancy is with the use of two medicines called Mifepristone (also known as the abortion pill, RU 486, Mifegyn, Mifeprex), and Misoprostol (also known as Cytotec, Arthrotec, Oxaprost , Cyprostol, Mibetec, Prostokos or Misotrol).
    A medical abortion done this way has a success rate of more than 97%. If you live in a country where there is no access to safe abortion services and you would like to obtain a medical abortion with Mifepristone and Misoprostol, please go to Women on Web. This is a online medical abortion help service that refers to a doctor who can provide you with a medical abortion.
    A woman can also do an abortion herself until the 9th week of pregnancy with only the use of Misoprostol.

  • october 16 th, 2008: 

    Wrestling on the water

    After the ship arrived, two small boats tried to pull it away from the quay. The women on shore took the other ropes and pulled as hard as they could. But unfortunately the engines of the small boat had more horsepower than the women.
    After a short struggle, the small boat withdrew and the Women on waves ship could dock again.
    Women's right to autonomy has triumphed!!

  • Diary: 

    Ecuador Diary

    June 14 th 2008, Women on Waves arrived in Ecuador. Here is a day by day account of the campaign, the action, the activists, the progress of the hotline, the reactions on the local level to this initiative and the personal impressions of the people involved.

  • Spain, October 2008

    Women on Waves has visited Spain from October 16 till 21 at the invitation of 33 Spanish organisations (please click here for list) concerned with a better abortion law.

    If you need help with abortion in Spain now, click here

  • Abortion on our ship

    You can make an appointment with us by telephone, email or by visiting the ship. We will inform you about when and where to board the ship. You will be treated according to Dutch professional medical standards, which include full confidentiality about counselling and/or treatment. Here you can read more about counselling, the treatment and what to expect afterwards.

  • The Portuguese Diary

    In this day-to-day diary, read what happened during the Women on Waves campaign in Portugal.

  • Media Portugal

    The best way to get an impression of the discussion in Portuguese society is to look at the overwhealming press coverage. From august 23 on, we have collected more than 700 newspaper articles. Next to the continuous TV coverage on all channels public and commercial. It shows how our trip has helped to put legal abortion on the agenda again in Portugal.

  • BBC Correspondent

    Link More about the BBC documentary "Abortionship" from the Poland campaign]