By Fathimath Shaana  (4th year medical student with clinical interest in OBGYN, a public health enthusiast)Youth Board Member, MA Maldives, IPPF 

It was an honour for me to be part of the IPPF Team represented at ARJC IV, a global conference tackling a very deep rooted universal issue. Being a female from the global South, a service provider, a medic, a youth, the list of hats that I could put on in this diverse space is numerous and I think it is the beauty of holding such spaces where all the people from various walks of life gather and are unified to achieve a common goal, that too on a global scale! 

Starting from pre-conference workshops such ones that empowerment was instilled with skills (for instance, the MVA demonstration workshop), to a very touching and a beautifully expressed multiperspective keynote by Dr.Suba to every session in the main room to breakout rooms and of course the networking spaces that were enabled during the meal times and coffee breaks – all of them were enriching the experience I had.

The most fascinating perspective for me professionally as a medical student is the realization of how much the entire medical field has been ruled by an upper hand of patriarchy!

It is shocking to understand how far it has gone starting from our medical textbooks, to the work culture and to even the speciality we choose. Not just that but it has dictated the rights for our patient detrimentally hindering the holistic and comprehensive care everyone deserves.

All of this is so very critical in the context of abortion care and with the sensitivity and stigma that exist around it despite our fight. 

Representing a minority already on a global scale, in addition to the social, cultural and interfaith challenges we face day-to-day, our end goal is the same. 

It is indeed a never ending battle but we would not stop and in fact the declaration at the end of the conference calls for further efforts in this altogether. 

We envision a world where safe abortion care and rights exist, serving the Reproductive Justice of all individuals with a uterus nevertheless.