Women on Waves

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Women on Waves is a non-profit, pro-choice organization created in 1999 by Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts^{[citation needed]}. The stated goals of the organization are to raise awareness and stimulate discussion about laws regarding abortion which they allege to be restrictive, as well as to provide safe, non-surgical abortions for women who live in countries where abortion is illegal^{[citation needed]}. Other services offered by WoW include contraception and reproductive counseling^{[citation needed]}. Services are provided on a specially constructed and commissioned ship that contains a mobile clinic.^{[citation needed]} When WoW visits a country, women are encouraged to make appointments, and are taken on board the ship^{[citation needed]}. The ship then sails out to international waters (where Dutch laws are in effect on board the ship) ^{[citation needed]}to perform the abortions.

Women on Waves sailed to Ireland in 2001 and Poland in 2003^{[citation needed]}. (According to Gomperts, before they went to Poland, 44% of the women were pro-abortion^{[citation needed]}. Once they left, this number had grown to 56%)^{[citation needed]} In 2004, their attempt to enter Portuguese waters was blocked when the government refused to allow them entry, and physically blocked their ship with a Portuguese warship^{[citation needed]}.

Rebecca Gomperts was a Greenpeace militant and became a feminist while working on the now-sunken Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior^{[citation needed]}. She created a portable gynaecology unit called "A-portable" that can be installed on rented ships^{[citation needed]}.