"Understanding Feminist Approaches to Understanding Abortion Debates" - November 2021

The Young Feminist Network Newsletter

November 16, 2021

The Young Feminist Network was established in July 2020 by Everystory Sri Lanka to bring together people interested in learning more about feminism, particularly from a Sri Lankan and South Asian perspective.

This month, our newsletter is curated on the theme of “Unpacking Feminist Approaches to Understanding Abortion Debates".

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Dear Reader,

We are excited to bring you this month’s Newsletter, curated around the theme of “Unpacking Feminist Approaches to Understanding Abortion Debates". Here we look at diverse perspectives available around abortion discussed internationally. We provide an insight into the risks taken by women in countries where abortion is criminalized, and what they went through during the procedures for a termination of pregnancy. We discuss the different social aspects that intrude on the freedom from the legalization of abortion and affect policy-making. In an inherently patriarchal society where most women are underrepresented and marginalized, and where most of the decisions are made for women without consideration to their needs and voice, it is essential that women and girls have strong, inspiring, and diverse women to learn from and look up to when it comes to the freedom from making a choice that affects our body, health and eventually, life.

My favorite section in this Newsletter is the Interview Segment with Dr. Pasansi, where we got to ask frequently asked questions on abortions that most of us have in our mind, but are too shy or reluctant to ask them out loud. As you explore each segment of our newsletter, I hope you learn as much as I did, and begin to realize the importance of us women standing together and fighting for the need for bodily autonomy and most importantly safe ad accessible feminine healthcare.

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback. We value the complimentary and the critical equally, so please share! You can get in touch via email at [email protected]

In Solidarity,

Stefania Perera,

YFN Newsletter Editor - November

YFN Program Manager - Everystory Sri Lanka

The November Reading List is curated by Kaveesha Coswatte, who is the Legal and Programs Analyst for iProbono in Sri Lanka and a lecturer at the APIIT Law School. Her work mostly involves legal drafting and reform, providing pro bono legal services to vulnerable minorities: mainly women, children, and members of the LGBTIQ community, and awareness building. In the field of higher education, Kaveesha has co-authored the BSc Law and Psychology program for the Open University of Sri Lanka, unifying the criminal justice system and psychological aspects that contribute to crime and victimology. She is also a published author in multiple legal researches based on accessibility to justice, human trafficking, and legal status of LGBTIQ persons in Sri Lanka; and poetry focused on contemporary social taboos and gender. As for hobbies, Kaveesha is passionate about traveling, singing, slam poetry, and volunteering for international disaster relief and refugee education.

Kaveesha has constructed the Reading List to contain a variety of resources that discusses abortion through diverse perspectives and its' reception in different countries.

Curated by Kaveesha Coswatte who is the Legal and Programs Analyst for iProbono in Sri Lanka and a lecturer at the APIIT Law School.

The Interview Segment

Each month, we reach out to people who will reflect on the theme and share their insights as to how it relates to their lives and work. For this month's interviews, we reached out to Dr. Pasansi Wijayananda.

Dr. Pasansi answers frequently asked questions on abortions including risks, medical procedures, and the impact of social stigmas. Click here to read more on these.

Also Explore...

Even in countries where abortion is legal, access to safe abortions remains challenging

Featured image courtesy Paulo Nunos Des Santos/the New York Times “If you are not in favour of legal abortion, then you are in favour of illegal abortion” Prof. Arulkumaran On October 28, 2012, Sav…

Nandini Balakrishnan expresses her thoughts on Abortion and why she believes it is high time to legalize abortions.

Deep Dive is a subscription-based weekly newsletter initiated by Raisa Wickrematunge, Deputy Editor - Himal Southasian. The newsletter discusses in-depth issues that make the headlines on national affairs.

Instagram Pages to Follow!

ASAP is a non-profit organization that works to promote, protect and advance women’s SRHR in Asia, by promoting access to comprehensive safe abortion services

A ReRight Initiative to unpack abortion stigma in India through storytelling and art. India’s First Public Archive of Abortion Stories.

Poetry

While Anindita Sarkar’s bold pieces on abortion, bullying of a unique boy, and surviving health ordeals spoke of grit under the surface, in the core and kernel. The choice of her themes – riveting with knife-edged impact. 

A really nicely written piece by Sushmeeta Nair speaks about some facts of society, thoughts, and a lot more.

Paid Work Opportunities

Roar Global is a rapidly growing media network in South Asia and is currently expanding its teams in Sri Lanka to sustain growth. Please refer to the link for the available vacancies offered.

Please refer to the link below for information for the job vacancy.

Education

Refer the link below for more details on this program.

Learning Circle Sessions

Every month, we feature the work and story of a member of the Young Feminist Network with the hope of inspiring and learning from each other.

In November, the Young Feminist Network will be hosting Dr. Pasansi Wijayananda, Medical Officer- Government of Sri Lanka, and our very own Sharanya Sekaram, Consultant and Co-Founder - Everystory Sri Lanka, to conduct the YFN Learning Circle for the month of November 2021. We will be engaging in a discussion on “Abortion 101”, where abortions will be viewed from both a medical and social perspective. This session will be hosted via Zoom from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm on Sunday the 21st of November 2021. To reserve one of only 25 slots available for the session, please email us at [email protected] on or before the 19th of November 2021.

If you want to suggest any particular topic for our Featured Speaker sessions and learning opportunities, please fill in this Google Form and let us know!

Follow this link to read our November Member Spotlight!

For more on the Support Team, read here.

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Who can Join? 

Anyone can sign up for the newsletter! Sign up now on the below link to be added to the database:

Women, girls, and transgender/non-binary individuals who are of Sri Lankan heritage are also invited to join our Facebook group “Young Feminist Network by ESSL”

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ESSL is conscious of the ethical handling of the data we hold of our members and their privacy. In order to respect the feminist values through which we try to shape our day-to-day work and the vetting we carry out of all information and opportunities we send out, we ask that members please refrain from directly emailing the YFN mailing list or using the reply all feature.

If you do have any information which might be of interest to the Network, please send it across to the ESSL team so we share it via appropriate channels.

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