New Illo! Maternal Health Initiative

A new illustration for Vue Weekly in Edmonton, on Canada's failure to fund abortions in developing nations through our Maternal Health Initiative.

Abortion in these countries actually SAVES children's lives, because the children of women who die are 10 TIMES more likely to die themselves within the next two years. A study by the Lancet shows that legalizing abortion does not increase the demand for it. Legalization moves the practice from back alleys to safe hospitals, greatly reducing the # of women who die, which in turn saves the lives of their remaining children. South Africa is a great study in how legalizing abortion greatly reduces childhood mortality. I know the logic is not straightforward, but the facts are well documented.

Furthermore, shouldn't women in countries we are aiding get the same medical services Canadian women do (respecting, of course, the laws and rules of said country)? We should be fighting to reduce childhood mortality abroad, not tacitly supporting repressive governments that won't even let women who have been raped or are going to die make a choice.

Stephen Harper has failed many women the world over by not funding a full range of maternal health options.

Here is a link to the Vue article:http://vueweekly.com/front/story/words_are_not_enough/