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title: "Women On Waves"
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Women on Waves (https://womenonwaves.org) is a non-governmental organisation founded in 1999 by the Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts to prevent unsafe abortions and unwanted pregnancies. The organisation provides sexual health services and education to women in countries with restrictive laws around reproductive rights.

WoW sails a ship registered in the Netherlands to countries where abortion is illegal. By anchoring outside territorial waters, they are able to provide contraceptives, education and legal abortion to women who need them. They are able to do so because in international waters local laws do not apply. It is thus the Dutch law that applies on board a WoW’s ship, which means that all their activities are legal. In 2018, the organisation received a license to perform abortions with pills (misoprostol with or without mifepristone). The crew includes a gynaecologist and a specialised nurse so abortions can be provided safely and to the highest standards.

With their ship missions, WoW want to respond to an urgent medical need but also, crucially, to draw public attention to the consequences of unwanted pregnancy and illegal abortion. WoW has created enormous public interest after successful campaigns in Ireland (2001, 2015), Poland (2003, 2018), Portugal (2004) and Spain (2008). WoW always works in close collaboration with local organisations to change the laws in their countries. For instance, the campaign in Portugal catalysed the abortion legalisation in February 2007.

WoW have recently also used robots for across-the-border abortion counselling and drones for across-the-border abortion pill deliveries. WoW also have a sister organisation called Women on Web (https://womenonweb.org), providing reliable information on safe abortion and contraception and safe telemedical abortion service. They have also created a “Safe Abortion with Pills” app, which is available for free from the Google Play store for Android phones.