"Not Yet Rain": New Film on Abortion in Ethiopia

Ipas, an international women’s health organization, has just released a new documentary, “Not Yet Rain.” The 23-minute film by Lisa Russell explores abortion in Ethiopia through the voices of four women who have faced the challenge of finding safe care. Nearly 67,000 women die each year from unsafe abortions; more than half of these deaths occur in Africa.

One of the women, Asnaketch, 32, was repeatedly attacked and raped. At the time, abortion was illegal, so she turned to traditional practices and herbs to end the unintended pregnancies — a common practice. Abortion is now permitted under more liberal guidelines, but access is still a major concern. Two of the other women interviewed must travel to regional hospitals for safe abortions.

Below is the trailer, but you can now watch the full film at NotYetRain.org. The website also includes a number of excellent resources; look in the About the Issue section for fact sheets, including this one on abortion and reproductive health and information specific to Ethiopia.