MSI Nepal hosts a Providers Share Workshop to explore stigma in abortion care
The workshop encouraged team members to share and reflect on their experiences of stigma around abortion faced by both clients and providers.
MSI Nepal organised a Provider Share Workshop focusing on abortion care to strengthen the skills, motivation, and emotional wellbeing of service providers and counsellors. The workshop brought together 48 participants from 19 centres and was conducted at Kathmandu, Kohalpur and Sauraha.
Before the workshop, all the participants were requested to bring an object symbolizing their motivation for providing abortion services. One of the participants brought money to highlight how financial barriers push women toward unsafe abortion, while another brought an abortion logo from the center and shared a childhood memory of a woman in her community dying due to an unsafe abortion which inspired her to become an abortion provider at MSI. These deeply moving stories from different participants also reminded everyone of the life-saving importance of their work in the community.
A key focus of the workshop was the stigma faced by both clients and providers. Participants shared their experiences, including being excluded from religious practices or being judged by their community for providing abortion services. These discussions helped participants to realise they are not alone and encouraged them to foster mutual support and solidarity.
The workshop also addressed real challenges in managing complications and service delivery, strengthening peer learning, and gaining confidence. Interactive activities also encouraged reflection on equity, access barriers, and client realities. Many participants shared that these activities “touched their soul” and deepened their empathy.
Pre and post test results showed improved knowledge and confidence, while the social element strengthened team bonding. Overall, the workshop renewed participants’ motivation and reinforced their commitment to delivering safe, dignified, and stigma-free abortion services for women.
