Women on Waves

Women on Waves

Women on Waves (WoW) is a Dutch, non-profit, pro-choice, women's human rights organization created in 1999 by Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts, in order to bring reproductive health services, particularly non-surgical abortion services, to women in countries with restrictive abortion laws. Other services offered by WoW include contraception and reproductive counseling. Services are provided on a commissioned ship that contains a specially constructed mobile clinic. When WoW visits a country, women make appointments, and are taken on board the ship. The ship then sails out to international waters (where Dutch laws are in effect on board the ship) to perform the medical abortions.

Rebecca Gomperts

Rebecca Gomperts is a doctor, artist and women's human rights activist. Born in 1966, Gomperts grew up in the harbor town of Vlissengen, Holland. She moved to Amsterdam in the 1980s where she studied art and medicine simultaneously.Citation
last =Corbett
first =Sara
publication-date = Aug. 26 2001
contribution-url =http://www.bard.edu/hrp/resource_pdfs/corbett.gomperts.pdf
title =Rebecca Gomperts Is Trying to Save the World for Abortion
publication-place =NY
publisher =The New York Times Magazine
url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E4D91E3EF935A1575BC0A9679C8B63
] Drawing on her experiences as a resident doctor on the Greenpeace vessel under Capt. Bart J. Terwiel "Rainbow Warrior II ", Gomperts created WoW in order to address the health issues created by illegal abortion While visiting Latin America on-board the Rainbow Warrior II, the organization was inspired by a desire to further facilitate social change & women's health. As in some developing countries, as many as 800 illegal, unsafe abortions are performed daily, in contrast to some developed nations, such as the Netherlands, where residents have access to safe, legal, medical abortions & contraception. In collaboration with Atelier von Lieshout, she designed a portable gynaecology unit called "A-portable" that can be installed on rented ships. The stated goals of the organization are to raise awareness and stimulate discussion about laws regarding abortion which they allege to be restrictive, as well as to provide safe, non-surgical abortions for women who live in countries where abortion is illegal.Citation
last =Ferry
first =Julie
publication-date =Nov. 14, 2007
title =The abortion ship's doctor
publication-place =UK
publisher =Guardian
url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/women/story/0,,2210593,00.html
accessdate=2008-11-14
]

Voyages

Ireland

Women on Waves made its maiden voyage aboards the "Aurora" to Ireland in 2001. The ship carried two Dutch doctors and one Dutch nurse.cite web
last = Chocano
first = Carina
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The "abortion boat" steams toward Ireland
work =
publisher = Salon.com
date =
url =http://dir.salon.com/story/mwt/feature/2001/06/14/abortion_boat/
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate =2008-02-01
]

Poland

WoW sailed the "Langenort" to Poland in 2003.Citation
last =Frenkiel
first =Olenka
last2 =Agnew
first2 =Lara
publication-date = Oct. 26 2003
contribution =
contribution-url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/correspondent/3187614.stm
editor-last =O'Connor
editor-first =Karen
title =Abortion Ship
edition =
series =
place =UK
publication-place =
publisher =BBC News
url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/correspondent/3187614.stm
] Poland's official polling company, Centrum Badania Opinii Spolecznej, found that prior to WoW's visit, 44% of the population supported the liberalization of abortions laws, and that after the visit, the percentage rose to 56%.cite web
title = Women on Waves Cleared of Accusations in Poland
work = Wire story
publisher = Feminist Daily News
date = Nov. 6 2003
url =http://feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=8151
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-01
]

Portugal

In 2004, their attempt to enter Portuguese waters was blocked when the government refused to allow them entry, and physically blocked their ship with a Portuguese warship.

ee also

Women on Web

External links

* [http://www.womenonwaves.org/ women on waves.org] Women on waves website
* [http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=8604 Feminist Daily news] on the Portugal Issue

References


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