LONDON, October 18 /PRNewswire/ --

- Marie Stopes International Global Conference on Safe Abortion 2007 in Association With Ipas and Abortion Rights

- QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, London on 23-24 October

October 23rd 2007

11.00 - 11.45: Press Briefing on the Global Issue of Unsafe Abortion

- Every year, unsafe abortion kills more than 66,000 women worldwide and maims millions more. The medical journal The Lancet has called it one of the most neglected public health issues of our time.

- The latest statistics show that figure has remained virtually unchanged over the last decade. What actions can those in power take to stop these deaths?

- United States restrictions have created a climate in which health care providers in developing countries cannot provide safe abortion care without jeopardising their US funding.

- In the few countries where the abortion laws have changed, such as Nepal, maternal deaths have dropped significantly.

- Conversely, the new blanket abortion ban in Nicaragua pushed through by conservative church leaders has led to increased maternal deaths.

- These deaths are an outrage and completely preventable.

Over 700 delegates are expected at the Global Safe Abortion Conference from more than 50 countries. Key speakers include Bert Koenders, the Minister for Development Cooperation in the Netherlands; Mark Lowcock, Director General of Policy and International Division, UK Department for International Development; Prof. Fred Sai Advisor to President of Ghana; Dana Hovig, Chief Executive of Marie Stopes International; Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah, Former Minister of Health of Ghana and Ipas Vice-President for Africa; and Elizabeth Maguire, President and CEO of Ipas.

October 24th 2007

10.30 - 11.15: Press Briefing on Abortion in the UK

- This year is the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act (27th October). Lord David Steel was the architect of the Act and will be speaking at the conference.

- In 1967 the UK was a world leader regarding the legalisation of abortion. In 2007 our laws are behind most of Europe. In the rest of Europe women can access abortion on request, whereas in the UK women require consent from two doctors.

- Controversy surrounding calls for a reduction to the 24 week limit for abortion persists. (See report on GP's attitudes to abortion, available from Marie Stopes International.)

- The Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee Hearings are currently in progress. The 'science' around abortion (not the morals or ethics) will be considered and could result in recommendation for a reduction of the 24 week limit for abortion.

- Both Pro and Anti-Abortion lobbies will be aiming to add their amendments to the anticipated Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. 1990 was the last time the Abortion Act was amended, reducing the limit for abortion from 28 to 24 weeks.

- When the Abortion Act came into law in 1969 only 54,819 were carried out. Now nearly 200,000 abortions are being carried out every year.

- The conference is the key opportunity for the Voice for Choice Consortium (13 Pro-Choice organisations including MSI, BPAS, Abortion Rights, The Family Planning Association) to announce their plans to seek reform to current legislations and bring abortion in the 21st Century.

There will be top level speakers including Lord David Steel (architect of the 1967 Abortion Act), Barbara Hewson QC (celebrated Abortion Rights and Ethics Barrister) and Dr Kate Guthrie (Clinical Director at Hull and East Riding Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Partnership), Liz Davies (UK Operations Director at Marie Stopes International), Anne Quesney (Director of Abortion Rights), as well as providers, doctors and researchers from the NHS and NGOs.

We can arrange one to one interviews with top level speakers from around the world and, where possible, provide exclusives.

We understand there will be a major anti-abortion demonstration at the event so we strongly encourage interested media to register their attendance in advance. The press accreditation form is available from Marie Stopes International or online via the conference website: http://www.globalsafeabortion.org/press.

For more information please contact: Marie Stopes International Tony Kerridge (UK issues) Tony.kerridge@mariestopes.org.uk Tel: +44(0)20-7034-2365 +44(0)7748-948037 (UK) Diana Thomas (international issues) Tel: +44(0)20-7034-2317 Email: diana.thomas@mariestopes.org.uk Ipas Kirsten Sherk sherkk@ipas.org +44(0)7504-490-641 (UK mobile) Tel: +1-(919)-960-5612 Abortion Rights Anne Quesney choice@abortionrights.org.uk Tel: +44(0)20-7923-9792

For more information please contact: Marie Stopes International: Tony Kerridge (UK issues), Tony.kerridge@mariestopes.org.uk, Tel: +44(0)20-7034-2365, +44(0)7748-948037 (UK); Diana Thomas (international issues): Tel: +44-(0)20-7034-2317, Email: diana.thomas@mariestopes.org.uk; Ipas: Kirsten Sherk, sherkk@ipas.org, +44(0)7504-490-641 (UK mobile), Tel: +1-919-960-5612; Abortion Rights: Anne Quesney, choice@abortionrights.org.uk, Tel: +44-(0)20-7923-9792