The state of abortion services in the Pacific

Summary In this project, a student will examine the availability, access and affordability of abortion services in the Pacific region.

Project Details

Abortion services are a key component of sexual and reproductive health services, yet access to safe, affordable and respectful abortion services are often limited especially in low- and middle-income countries. Worldwide, approximately 25 million unsafe abortions occur each year; the majority (97%) of these occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Restrictive laws in these countries, coupled with lack of available services and skilled providers, high cost of safe abortion services and negative societal attitudes towards abortion can contribute to high rates of unsafe abortions.

In this project, a student will examine the availability, access and affordability of abortion services in the Pacific region. Using the literature, the Global Abortion Polices Database and other key databases, the student will perform an analysis of current abortion services in the Pacific region, identify gaps and highlight recommendations to prevent unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The project will be developed in collaboration with key researchers in this area at UNSW, University of Sydney, PNG Institute for Medical Research, Family Planning NSW and University of Melbourne.

The student will work with the Global Women’s and Newborn’s Health Group at the Burnet Institute in Melbourne (primarily desk-based research). This project will allow the student to gain experience in global maternal and perinatal health epidemiology, systematic review and quantitative analysis methodologies, with a view to a scientific publication.