We were greeted with smiles following online security screening. This visit was arranged in such a short time – we felt so fortunate. We were led to the reception area on the second floor. I was expecting a small clinic with a handful of staff. We were so amazed as we stepped in the room. Contrary to my expectations, the clinic was spacious, well lit, pleasantly designed and fully staffed. A wide range of services are offered at the clinic from basic health screening to laboratory and diagnostic tests to specialized care. The most interesting of the services offered is safe abortion – the primary reason for our visit.

For some of us this was the first visit to a safe abortion clinic. We had a walkthrough of client flow from registration to exit. They offered some snippets of their services. They even gave us a chance to sit in one of the counselling sessions, which unfortunately we had to pass since none of us spoke Thai.  As a group, we shared information about the situation of safe abortion in Thailand as well as in our respective countries.

In countries like mine with highly restrictive laws on abortion, the media is flooded with images of traditional remedies, backstreet clinics and fetal tissue. I always feel sad hearing and seeing these as the debate on safe abortion is shifted away from real stories of women, their rights, our rights, choices and bodies. No one talks about how women’s lives are put at risk, how they die from preventable causes or simply how their decisions cause them to be neglected and treated in a less humane manner. They are simply out of the picture!

Visiting the clinic was a snapshot of relief – it is comforting to know that many still respect and support women’s decisions about their bodies. We are grateful for the advocates who keep the issue burning bright and the providers who struggle to provide women with dignified services. We really would like to thank the team for showing us around! We were not able to take pictures of this little haven for women because of how delicate the topic is, but the experience is fully captured in our memories.

Following the Youth Advocacy Institute this is the first time we youth champions came together to advocate for safe and legal abortion in the region at a high level intergovernmental meeting in Bangkok. This was also among our first attempt to reach out fellow advocates and champions in the region. Truly, a milestone like a recollection of child’s first steps – priceless!