Two Calls for Submissions of Journal Articles on Abortion ************************************** 22 July 2016
CALL FOR PAPERS: "Abortion and Human Rights" for June 2017
The June 2017 issue of Harvard University's Health and Human Rights, an interdisciplinary, open access journal, will be dedicated to intersections between abortion and human rights, and in particular the use of legal mobilization around abortion rights at domestic and international levels, edited by Alicia Ely Yamin, Paola Bergallo and Marge Berer. Topics could include:
Conceptual and theoretical analysis of the developments on abortion law and human rights in international and constitutional law throughout the world.
Socio-legal studies of legal mobilization and counter-mobilization on abortion rights exploring the role of actors such as the women’s and the human rights movement, health providers, conservative and religious groups, legal support structures, and political players. The studies could focus on the dynamics of national, sub-national, regional, transnational or international struggles for and against the right to abortion.
The challenges and outcomes of implementing abortion law and policy reforms through high impact litigation, abortion guidelines, social mobilization strategies and/or the harm reduction model put forward by physicians.
The effects and impacts – for example, in women, groups, public opinion, policies, rules and other contexts – of the different legal strategies for abortion deployed by progressive and conservative movements.
A critical examination of the experience and policies of particular countries as they have attempted to expand access to abortion through legal reforms and health policies.
Comparisons of health and legal abortion reforms adopted in different countries of the world. Sub-national comparisons within countries or between sub-national experiences of different countries.
The impact and consequences of policies criminalizing abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth and other reproductive rights for women and health care providers.
Efforts to seek redress on behalf of women who have been denied legal abortions or suffered from the consequences of unsafe abortions and on behalf of health care professionals who have been punished for providing safe abortions.
The feasibility, pros and cons of different approaches to decriminalization of abortion, taking account of current law and policy, the legal, public health, regulatory, cultural and psychosocial dimensions of criminalization, and the extent of support for law reform.
Submissions due by 1 November 2016 (max word length 7,000 words, including refs)
CALL FOR PAPERS: "How medical abortion is changing everything"
Papers will be peer reviewed and published as a journal supplement in or around June 2017, on an open access basis. A limited number of submissions in Spanish, peer reviewed in Spanish, are also welcome. Papers can take the form of original research, analysis, discussion and thought-pieces.
Edited by Marge Berer, Lesley Hoggart and Silvina Ramos. Topics can include:
Analysis of the type and quality of abortion service provision within your national health system, whether it is out of date or in line with best practice (WHO guidance), the extent and type of unmet need for safe abortion and where women are turning instead. Future perspectives for change.
Extent of self-use of medical abortion pills – how are pills obtained and used; the amount of information women, pharmacists and health professionals receive/have about using them; the extent of and reasons for recourse to the health system for post-abortion care.
Is self-use of medical abortions pills a criminal act in your country? Under what laws? Who is being prosecuted for it?
The consequences of self-use of medical abortion pills for clinical services.
Should there continue to be abortion services – what kind, provided by whom and where? What training for abortion providers?
What is your optimal picture of self-use of medical abortion pills. Is it achievable?
What future for aspiration and surgical abortion methods?
Innovative service delivery models, including in restrictive contexts.
What abortion service delivery guidelines and regulations are needed.
What role do safe abortion information hotlines play, what difference have they made, and what is their future?
How should post-abortion contraception be provided in these changing circumstances?
What improvements in existing abortion methods should be the subject of research and development?
Submissions due no later than 1 January 2016
Maximum word length 6,000 words (inc. refs)
Contacts: Marge Berer / Lesley Hoggart (submissions in English); Silvina Ramos(submissions in Spanish)
If you want to submit a paper, please send a brief note of intent only, in the first instance, with your contact details toMarge Berer.Submission details will follow.
