History

The spark that ignited the International Network for the Reduction of Abortion Discrimination and Stigma (inroads) came from a 2013 meeting on abortion stigma where an international group of scholars, practitioners, and advocates from six continents met to discuss the role of stigma in the social, medical, and legal marginalization of abortion around the world, and to identify a pathway for collective and global action toward understanding and reducing abortion stigma. In 2014, as a result of this meeting, a background assessment for the creation of a network was developed, and The International Network for the Reduction of Abortion Discrimination and Stigma (inroads) was launched, with Ipas serving as its host during its first years.

Over the years, thanks to the active engagement of members from across the world, inroads grew and established itself as one of the leading global communities of practice geared toward ending abortion stigma and discrimination, a space for global action and solidarity within the reproductive justice movement. Connecting and nurturing activists and movements in over 100 countries, devoting over $1,027,118 USD to resource over a hundred stigma-busting community organizations in 47 countries with the inroads Partnership Fund (iPF), and building and holding global and regional gathering spaces to foster cross-border solidarity and mutual learning with members from 68+ countries.

After years of reflection and preparation, inroads transitioned into an independent non-profit organization in September 2020. Since that time, we've begun to fully build and live our new strategic plan and values, started a new wave of grants, formalized our policies and member's compensation program, created a member-to-member assistance and mentorship program, carried out over 20 member-led gatherings & learning sessions, and the staff has grown from a team of 5 to 9, all in 18 months

Today inroads is a network of over 2,500 activists and organizations from 120 countries committed to creating a future where we, people who have, accompany, provide, research, and advocate for abortions, have the tools to transform systemic, legal, medical, and interpersonal levels of stigma so that people can be free to experience abortion on their own terms.