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Women on Waves

Pete Loeser 20 Mar 2015

Women on Waves (WoW) is an interesting Dutch organization that sponsors a ship named the Langenort to provide sexual health services to women in countries where abortion is illegal. The ship attempts to pick up the women in port, then sail out to international waters (where Dutch laws are in effect on board the ship) to perform its services, including medical abortions. It was founded by Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts in 1999, in order to bring safe reproductive health services, including non-surgical abortion services, such as contraception information and reproductive counseling, to women in countries with restrictive abortion laws. Gomperts has also designed a portable gynaecology unit that can be installed on other rented ships. To date the Langenort has attempted to visit Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Morocco offering the services of its specially constructed mobile clinic. It was actually physically blocked by a Portuguese naval vessel in 2004, and has been banned and denied entrance in several ports, causing demonstrations by both pro-life and pro-choice protesters.

Flag has white field with orange and blue WoW insignia centered.
Pete Loeser 20 Mar 2015