Recognizing 28 September as the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights is calling on all young activists to speak up for abortion rights!
The Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion has been celebrated annually on 28 September since 1990. In 2015 the campaign generated 121 activities in over 30 countries in North America (15), Latin America and the Caribbean (25), Europe (20), Africa (30) and Asia & the Pacific (31). The campaign also mobilized over two million people online!
This year, the YCSRR will be publishing a Watchdog on the theme of “Erasure and Silencing in the Abortion Rights Discourse”. The Watchdog aims to provide a platform for people and organizations that have been excluded from or otherwise not had the opportunity to contribute to the abortion rights discourse. This includes marginalized and minority groups, such as youth and adolescents, people living with disabilities, economically marginalized people, those who live in rural or remote locations, indigenous peoples, sex workers, refugees, undocumented migrants and trans, gender non-conforming and queer people, who face multiple challenges in accessing abortion services and realizing their rights.
Submit Your Art and Writing:
The YCSRR is calling on all young people under 30 years old to submit original artwork (posters, infographics, pictures, postcards, videos, etc.) and original writing (articles, stories, poetry) on the theme of “Erasure and Silencing in the Abortion Rights Discourse” for the 28 September 2016 Abortion Rights Watchdog publication!
Selected artistic submissions will also be featured on the YCSRR website and used during the YCSRR social media campaign around 28 September. While we strongly encourage participants to submit work on the theme of Erasure and Silencing (subtopics listed below), any work about the experiences of young people accessing abortion services is welcome.
Suggested submission subtopics include (but are not limited to):
- Abortion rights at the United Nations
- The abortion rights of youth and adolescents (as compared to adults, e.g. legal ramifications, parental consent laws)
- The intersections of abortion stigma and gender-related stereotypes
- The intersections of abortion rights and sex worker rights
- The intersections of abortion rights and disability rights
- The intersections of abortion rights and LGBTIQ rights
- Overcoming self-stigma, family stigma, and societal stigma
- Experiences of abortion providers or those involved in abortion access services
- Access to abortion in humanitarian and crisis settings
- Abortion rights in the context of global epidemics (e.g. Zika virus)
Each participant can submit up to three original submissions. The format of image files must be JPG. Videos should not exceed a length of three minutes and must meet the requirements found here. Videos selected will be shared on September 28 and a still from the video will be included, with a description, in the Watchdog publication. Writing is welcome in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Turkish, Arabic and Russian, and should be submitted as a Word document (.doc format). Submissions should not exceed 1 page single-spaced (approximately 500 words).
Submission Requirements:
- All content must be original with all necessary copyright permissions. Content with copyright violations (including but not limited to background music used without permission or copyrighted images appearing in photograph/video) will not be considered.
- Entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
- All entries must align with the YCSRR Principles and Values. Entries with homophobic or otherwise discriminatory content will not be considered, without exception.
- Submissions from both professional and non-professionals are welcome.
- All content submitted must be created entirely by a person or group of people under 30 years old, without exception.
- Please include your name (chosen name, pseudonyms and anonymous submissions are all acceptable), country of citizenship/residence and date of birth with your submission.
Deadline for Submissions: 19 August 2016 to watchdog@youthcoalition.org