Drasho Kostovski, HERA Macedonia

1. Dealing with the backlash against
reproductive rights
Drashko Kostovski
HERA, Macedonia
ECF 2016

2. Macedonia
• Independence: 1991
• Population: 2.1 million
• Upper – middle income country
• No access to holistic sexuality education
• Low uptake of contraception (12%)
• The rate of abortions has been steadily
decreasing
• Highest rate of perinatal deaths in Europe
• Freedom house: partly free

3. “If Beethoven parents have decided to
undergone an abortion the world would have
been left shorter of
the musical masterpiece Ode to joy”.
“Choose life, you have a right to choose”

4. Congratulations!
The abortion was successful.
You have just killed a healthy baby boy
or a girl.

5. Main properties of the campaign
• Broadcasted for 7 years now during national
sport teams matches and Christmas
• 6 video clips in all of them the main characters
are men
• Approximate cost of €4 million
• Main insight: ban abortion and the population
growth will be accelerated
• Main purpose: preparation for amending the
law in 2013

6. The abortion law amended 2013
• Mandatory written request
• Mandatory dissuasive counselling
• A mandatory waiting period (women
with inevitable miscarriage and foetal
death have been forced to wait for the
elapse of the three days)
• Greatly increased fines for medical
providers

8. After 4 years of campaigning*
• 61% of the respondents have seen at least one
video clip
• 63% are accepting the campaign messages
• The effect was on young people 15-24 years
old
• Still 67% of the population thinks that women
should freely decide on undergoing an
abortion.
*(Ugurovska, 2013)

9. HERA’s social media campaigns 2013

12. It’s all about You, 2015

14. Cloud messages

15. Youtube:HERAMAcedonia

16. Survey 2015
Public opinion 2013 2016
Is abortion a
women’s choice?
67% agree 60% agree
The new law on
abortion /right of
choice?
50% reduce 70%
reduce
Is abortion ​​a wrong
choice?
35% disagree 43%
disagree

17. Results
• 2 restrictive amendments blocked
• NGO Platform established
• First public statement by woman who had
been victim of the new law
• Commitment by the opposition leadership to
amend the law
• HRCtte Concluding observations 2015 to
amend the law

18. Future plans
• Maintain effective outlets and dates: Twitter
and 28th September (Global Day of Action for
Access to Safe and Legal Abortion)
• Record more case studies, stimulate women
to share their stories
• Keep the supporters informed, reach out for
those who have access only to traditional
media

19. Thank you!hera.org.mk
www.youtube.com/HERAMacedonia
www.twitter.com/hera_mkd
www.youtube.com/HERAMacedonia