Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP) has completed its Legal KAU study

"A Study of Knowledge, Attitudes and Understanding of Legal Professionals about Safe Abortion as a Women’s Right" was conducted by Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP) in 2008-2009. The study was conducted in 7 countries with local partners: Pakistan (Marie Stopes Society), Nepal (Center for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities - CREHPA), India (Foundation for Research in Health Systems - FRHS), Malaysia (Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia RRAAM ) Sri Lanka (University of Colombo), Philippines (Women LEAD), and Indonesia (Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (IPPA) and Women’s Health Foundation).

The court is a powerful arena to effect changes in society. Through the avenue of the courts, restrictive laws may be stricken down as invalid; failure to implement the law by state agents, may hold these state agents liable, in their official as well as personal capacity; refusal to heed the requirements of the law, may also compel the courts to enforce compliance by these state agents.

Legal profession, when used in this study, however, does not simply refer to those who have had formal schooling in law and are bestowed the titles as such. This study adopts an expanded definition of the legal profession and includes also legislators, high ranking police personnel, jailers, medical practitioners, head of hospitals, and other persons who are tasked with the implementation of the law, as well as those whose opinion and experience may be given weight in legal and policy advocacy.

While the members of the legal profession are important agents of change in society, they cannot effect lasting change on their own. We recognize that these changes in the field of law and policy need to be propelled and informed by the experiences and wisdom of those at the ground level in the implementation of the law. The study findings are expected to help in a greater understanding of the perspectives of this group and will inform future capacity building, attitude reconstruction efforts and the development of advocacy tools for action.

This study is unique in its attempt to move beyond the women/community-provider interface and look at gatekeepers outside the service provision field.

To view the reports of this study in PDF formats please click here. Please feel free to use them for further dissemination.

For more information on ASAP, please visit our website www.asap-asia.org.