Equity, access and availability: safe abortion and contraception access

Access to contraception and safe abortions is a critical part of sexual and reproductive health. Yet for many Australian women access to these services can be hampered by cost, location and the stigma surrounding abortion.

While we have universal healthcare in Australia, our public health system is focused on chronic disease management, which is understandable given we are an aging population.

Sexual and reproductive health is often not prioritised through the public health system which means many women can struggle to access abortion care and contraception. This is especially true for women in rural and remote communities.

This is why MSI Australia works on a number of issues to increase access, equity and the availability of abortion and contraception for Australian women.

No woman should be forced to carry a pregnancy to term against her will; and especially not when the barrier is financial. It’s for this reason that we have established our philanthropic funds, to ensure that all women are able to access our services regardless of their circumstances.

It is also why we work closely with the government not just to ensure access to abortion care but also to ensure that this access is safe for attending patients. We work with them to help improve the patchwork legislation across the country and bring better public access.

It is our mission to destigmatise abortion and to dispel the many myths and fallacies surrounding it. Abortion is not shameful, it is not a weakness of character and it is not something that women and pregnant should be denied access to under any circumstances.

Abortion is a health issue and should be treated as such by society and legislation. And until it is, MSI Australia will continue to rely on the generosity of benefactors and philanthropists to help bridge the gap for women who are unable to access it.

Join our Consumer Advisor Panel

We are seeking members of the community who can provide unique insights into reproductive health service needs, so that we can provide the most appropriate, sensitive and client-centred care possible. As a member of the panel, we may contact you from time to time to ask you for your feedback, to review documents or to participate in workshops and groups. To register your interest, please get in touch using our contact form. We will then send you some details about the panel and how you can be involved. MSI Australia welcomes panel members from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, faiths, sexual orientations, intersex variations and gender identities.

For any feedback or enquiries, please contact: communications@msiaustralia.org.au