Pitch clinic week 9

I am reviewing pitches sent by freelancers. As a reminder, if you want to send one my way to get feedback, please email jessica dot reed at theguardian dot com with the subject PITCH CLINIC. Or write it here on Medium and tag it #PITCHCLINIC. Your submission will remain anonymous.

Pitch number 9

I’d like to offer you a 1200–1500 word piece on the prevalence of unsafe abortions in Namibia. Abortion is illegal in this Southern African country, so desperate women boil newspapers, and drink a poisonous printer ink mixture, to terminate their pregnancies.

“Abandoned by her boyfriend when he learnt she was pregnant, 15 year old Johanna felt helpless. She feared the wrath of her family, and worried over how she’d support a child. She knew she couldn’t keep the baby, and so abortion was her only choice. But terminating the life of a foetus is illegal in Namibia, except in restricted cases. And so she had to do it herself. Having heard that printer ink is an abortive substance, Johanna boiled newspapers, mixing the bitter inky water with alcohol. The concoction worked. Two weeks later, she bled out the foetus.”

Johanna is one of many to resort to such measures. Newspaper ink contains dioxins, a toxic substance. It’s a cheap and easy method. Some mix it with both alcohol and petrol. For many, it leads to reproductive health complications, and even death. According to the Women’s Health Network in Namibia, 16% of maternal deaths are due to unsafe abortions, particularly amongst young women.

Unwanted pregnancies are exacerbated by the lack of family planning services for adolescents. Social stigma, nurses shaming girls who want birth control, and restrictive socio-economic conditions leave these young women feeling they have no choice but to self-abort. Although the state has made moves to introduce a Bill, legalising abortion, it hasn’t gone anywhere.

In telling this story, I’ll tie it in with the broader scope of the Sustainable Development Goals of reducing maternal mortality, of sexual and reproductive health, and the physiological and psychological importance of giving women agency over their own bodies. Globally, sexual and reproductive health is an important public health issue, but is underreported.

Through the Women’s Health Network, I have access to young women who’ve aborted their babies through drinking ink, and other means. I will speak to three young women, the Director of the Women’s Health Network, nurses and a representative from the Department of Health.

I can either take photographs myself, or work with a photographer in Namibia.

PITCH GRADE: A

What I liked about this pitch: You have a strong human story. You know who to talk to. You have something biggerto tie it to (development goals). You say you can take photographs — I’d like example to see if you’re good enough. But you pretty much have it all for a solid story

What I didn’t like about this pitch: Not much to dislike. You seem to have done your homework.

Would I take it? No, but only because I don’t commission non-US pieces these days. Otherwise, I would reply and ask for more details at this point.