Elisa - Reproductive Rights for Filipino Women (by Amnesty International)

Abortion is illegal in the Philippines, and Manila City sought to make the situation worse when former Mayor Jose Lito Atienza passed a blanket ban on contraception in 2000. This ban effectively prohibits Manila City women — especially poor women — from accessing all forms of modern contraceptives, condoms, and information necessary to protect their reproductive health. As a result, women are unable to prevent pregnancy, even when it would jeopardize their lives, health, or ability to feed their families.

Note from Likhaan: Elisa—the woman in this video—is now an active member of PiLAKK (Pinagsamang Lakas ng Kababaihan at Kabataan)—a growing federation of 20 community-based organizations with 4000 members and more than 300 women and youth leaders working closely with Likhaan. The video also features community health workers and programs run by Likhaan that provide primary health care—which includes reproductive health—in slum areas in Metro Manila.