Sarah Thomsen

Lead Policy Specialist for Health and SRHR

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

Dr. Sarah Thomsen is a public health expert specializing in adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and equitable health policies. She has worked at Sida for 9 years and prior to that was employed at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and her passions are gender equality and equity in health. She has been fighting for adolescent’s right to access contraception and abortion since she was a teenager herself.

Event Schedule

DAY 1

18 July 2023

Start Time	End Time	Session	Description	Action
02:30 pm EEST	04:00 pm EEST	Abortion is health care - UHC best practices, from politics to provision! Concurrent Room MH 1-1	This session, hosted by SheDecides with the Global Safe Abortion Dialogue community will inspire WD2023 attendees by spotlighting stories of progress from thought Read More This session, hosted by SheDecides with the Global Safe Abortion Dialogue community will inspire WD2023 attendees by spotlighting stories of progress from thought leaders who are working to destigmatize abortion and create an enabling environment for abortion care. Looking towards the SDG Summit and Universal Health Coverage High-level meeting, experts will present evidence, spotlight stories of success and highlight the importance of including SRHR and abortion care within universal health coverage; ensuring that health systems meet the needs and demands of women, girls and young people in all their diversity, and uphold their right to health and bodily autonomy. Session format: Whole System in a Room Organized by SheDecides & Global Safe Abortion Dialogues Read Less Speakers Sangeeta Kaushal Mishra Additional Health Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population Government of Nepal Sarah Thomsen Lead Policy Specialist for Health and SRHR The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) Sonali Silva Vice-Chair of the SheDecides Guiding Group SheDecides Jean-Pierre Wangbe Head of the Legal unit, Ministry of Health Government of Benin Bela Ganatra Unit Head, Preventing Unsafe Abortion World Health Organisation Bilguissou Balde Regional Director, Ipas Francophone Africa, Interim-Director of le Centre ODAS Ipas Sarah Onyango Senior Technical Advisor, Self-Care, PSI; Project Director, Self-Care Trailblazer Group PSI Esi Prah Advocacy and Donor Relations Manager MSI Reproductive Choices Ghana