FORUM: Giving women voice

Ani Jilozian is a 2009 Birthright Armenia alum and a Fulbright scholar who moved to Armenia in 2011. Ani spoke to volunteers on local women's perceptions and experiences with various methods of contraception and abortion, as well as the familial and socio-cultural influences that impact women's decision-making process. She highlighted the barriers women face to using modern contraceptive methods, the reasons for the reliance on abortion, the misuse of medical abortion, and the growing prevalence of sex selection. Ani shared her recommendations for how to meet the unmet need for family planning and reduce the number of unsafe abortions in Armenia.