Like many matters of personal health and privacy, women’s preferences for abortion care are complex. Each of us experiences the health care system differently depending on where we live, our cultural experience, our economic position, and who we are as individuals.  When it comes to abortion, widespread stigma along with anti-abortion harassment and violence can further shape our expectations of abortion care, narrowing our perceptions of where and from whom we might receive this care as well as limiting our access.

What is the result of bringing together the AAP staff, field team, board and close colleagues from across the country? Creative thinking on some of the most pressing issues around abortion access today. The Abortion Access Project's 2008 National Convening, held in early October in Cambridge, MA, gathered researchers, educators, clinicians, and advocates working nationally and in the states to discuss strategies for improving and sustaining abortion access in those communities most often overlooked by larger reproductive health and rights initiatives.

In addition to presentations by experts in rural and community health, breakout sessions facilitated in-depth discussion and the identification of collaborative next steps on issues including self-induced abortion, persistent gaps in abortion training and advocacy-driven research on abortion access.

“I feel re-energized by the discussions – I so infrequently have the chance to think aloud with colleagues from different organizations and perspectives.” Convening attendee

Organized as a follow-up to AAP’s first Convening held in 2006, the 2008 Convening sparked ideas including a clearinghouse on abortion training resources, a cross-organization research group focusing on rural women and abortion, and assessing public opinion when women are prosecuted for self-inducing abortion

"The National Convening is a rare opportunity to think strategically and collaboratively with a wide cross section of our closest colleagues. During our first convening, in 2006, these discussions were instrumental in the development of AAP’s strategic framework. Two years later, it is remarkable to have the 2008 Convening serve as a similar catalyst for our more developed work,” notes Melanie Zurek, AAP’s Executive Director.  “And,” Zurek adds, “for the work of Convening participants.  Because of our emphasis on collaboration, AAP is able to bring people together in a way that promotes solutions to problems of access that none of us could achieve working alone."