Choices East Project Russia
From 1992 to 1994, Merle Hoffman worked toward the goal of bringing women’s services to Russia.
On November 2, 1992, the Times of London printed a story “Go East, young woman” that detailed Merle Hoffman’s efforts to bring Choices East to Moscow, even instigating an Open Letter to Boris Yeltsin from Russian feminists demanding “immediate allocations of hard currency for buying modern contraceptives, and funds for up-to-date equipment and medicine to make abortion as safe as possible.”
Read Merle’s blog entries giving her personal thoughts and insights on her professional work in Russia, along with her women’s rights activism through Choices East.
To Russia, the return of Choices East
I received an official invitation to lead a team of physicians and counselors from Choices to Moscow for an educational exchange.
Choices in Russia, Day One
To start the day the Choices delegation and I met for breakfast at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow. Women’s Rights Activist Alena Popova, famous for her work fighting against the Russian patriarchy, joined us.
Day Two: The Role of Russian Women and Power in Numbers
Today, I attended a multi-track conference on the role of women in modern society at the Civil Chamber of the Russian Federation.
Day Three in Russia: General Women’s Conference
During a group discussion about healthcare in Russia, I was struck by how fear, shame and guilt seem to be all-consuming forces in the women’s lives when it comes to their health.
Choices East Newspaper Archive
“A danger to women”
The Economist; October 24th – 30th, 1992
“Plans for Western Abortion Clinic Raise New Questions”
Moscow Guardian, 1992
“Women Lectured on Contraception”
The Moscow Times; October 13, 1992
“Family Planning Clinic Opening Cancelled”
The Moscow Tribune; June 10, 1994
“Moscow sees mad rush for birth control”
Sunday Express; November 1, 1992
“Go East, young woman”
Times Newspapers Ltd.; 1992
“Abortion Leader Ready to Tackle Russian Crisis”
The Moscow Tribune; June 25, 1994
“The Right To Choose Not To Abort”
The Moscow Times Editorial; October 15, 1992
“Russian Choices”
Newsday; March 11, 1994
“Historic, And Not The Pill”
The Moscow Times; October 16, 1992
“Americans teach Russians about birth control”
The Moscow Times; October 16, 1992
“Jeannine Michael distributes condoms”
UPI Photograph; November 12, 1992