Ipas is an international, non-governmental organization that seeks to increase access to safe abortions and contraception. To this end the organization informs women how to obtain safe and legal

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

s and trains relevant partners in Africa, Asia, and Latin America on how to provide and advocate for these.

History

Ipas's work began in 1973, with the provision of life-saving reproductive health technologies for health systems in several countries. Today Ipas works on five continents with a comprehensive approach that centers the needs of those who seek abortion care. Ipas aims to build sustainable abortion ecosystems that address all factors impacting a person’s ability to access abortion—from individual health knowledge, to social and community support, to a trained health workforce, to political leadership and supportive laws. To that end, Ipas trains providers and work with health systems to ensure accessible, high-quality abortion services—including the right and ability to self-manage an abortion with pills. Ipas conducts research with the goal of turning policy into practice. They also partner with local organizations to educate communities on reproductive health and rights, to advocate for legal abortion, and to support local champions for reproductive justice.

Scope of work

Ipas works to improve women's access and right to safe

care and

reproductive health Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a field of research, healthcare, and social activism that explores the health of an individual's reproductive system and sexual wellbeing during all stages of their life. The term can also be further de ...

services by: * Training doctors, nurses, and midwives in clinical and counseling skills for abortion, postabortion care and

family planning Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marita ...

; * Improving health-service delivery to make abortion safer and more accessible for women and less costly for the health system; * Researching the impact of unsafe abortion and documenting best abortion care practices and policies; * Working with advocates and policymakers around the world to support women's reproductive rights and increase access to safe and legal abortion services; * Engaging with women and men in their communities to expand their knowledge of