IRC trains police officers on abortion and family planning in Unity state

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has trained about 25 police officers in Unity State in a bid to create awareness on family planning and legal abortion amid rise in unwanted pregnancy and rape.

 Dhoal Riak Kuany, IRC health officer said the one-day training will help inform police officers on how to support women and girls who legally decide to abort.

 “We have conducted training to police officers because we want them to understand family planning and legal abortion as it was signed by South Sudan ministry of health, you know unwanted pregnancy occurs due to unwanted sex such as rape and other factors,” Kuany told Juba Echo during the training in Bentiu town on Thursday.

He said they have recorded several cases of unwanted pregnancies due to rape in the state.

“We want police officers to understand that if someone is raped and gets pregnant, she has right to take abortion through health partners,” Kuany said.

Captain Leek Paul Dor, who participated in the training said victims of rape have right to abort if they obtain medical clearance from hospital and health workers.  

He added that it’s criminal to abort outside a health facility.