Dr. Suchitra Dalvie

Dr Suchitra Dalvie is a gynecologist from Mumbai and coordinator at the network for medical practitioners known as the Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP). The network advocates women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights including the decriminalization and dissemination of accurate information on the availability of safe abortions in Asian countries.

According to the Abortion Assessment Project (Ravi Duggal & Vimala Ramachandran; 2004), it was estimated that unsafe abortion causes 8% of maternal deaths and, on an average, 10 women die due to unsafe abortions each day. In a country like India, where the word ‘abortion’ still remains a stigma resulting in lack of access to safe abortions, Dalvie’s work addresses this critical aspect of women’s healthcare rights and justice.

When she started advocating for women’s health rights, she knew the journey was going to be a long and difficult one especially in view of the patriarchal frameworks and sexist biases that continue to surround institutionalized healthcare.