Dear Friend of DKT,
In recent weeks, we’ve been reminded that the conversation around reproductive healthcare, especially in restrictive areas like Afghanistan, is often shaped as much by perception as by reality. That’s why, in addition to delivering services on the ground and information online, we also speak up when the global narrative misses the full picture of what’s possible.
Last week, DKT Afghanistan submitted a letter to The Guardian in response to its coverage of family planning in the country, highlighting why progress remains both necessary and achievable.
In our February newsletter, we share other ways that DKT brings choice to people who want it. We believe that doing this is one important way to ensure that people are free. Read on to hear about DKT’s work through Reddit and the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARs), our partnership with SwipeRx across Asia, and advances at DKT Thailand.
We always welcome observations, ideas, and questions – and we thank you for your support.
Cheers,
Christopher Purdy
Reproductive freedom in action: real-time support, real answers, real autonomy
The Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS) is a digital initiative under DKT International. Since 2019, OARS has run Reddit’s r/abortion forum, the highest-traffic abortion resource in the world, providing anonymous, real-time, 24/7 support and accurate, evidence-based information to anyone who needs it.
In 2025 alone, r/abortion received 17.1 million visits and more than 20,000 posts from people in more than 115 countries seeking guidance. Many are navigating restrictive laws, self-managing abortions, or sorting through widespread misinformation, disinformation, and stigma. OARS meets them on the platform where they’re already seeking help, connecting them with both international resources like Women First Digital’s safe2choose and local services based on their legal, medical, and personal circumstances.
Peer-reviewed research confirms that this model works. Multiple studies using data from r/abortion have found that the community serves as a crucial resource for reducing isolation, fighting misinformation, and helping people access the abortion care they need. Read more about the research here.
DKT and SwipeRx: Strengthening pharmacy networks to expand reproductive healthcare access
Across Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Mekong region, DKT is partnering with SwipeRx, the largest digital network of pharmacy professionals in Southeast Asia, to strengthen the capacity of pharmacists and primary care providers to deliver high-quality, client-centered reproductive healthcare.
Through the “DKT Academy Goes to Campus” program, DKT and SwipeRx have engaged more than 2,500 pharmacy students across seven leading Indonesian universities as of October 2025. Trainings focus on contraceptive choice and the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). By combining in-person university activations with SwipeRx’s digital learning platforms, students receive both practical instruction and ongoing access to trusted resources that support them throughout their careers.
This collaboration extends beyond the classroom. In Indonesia, DKT and SwipeRx have co-created educational content, including podcasts led by medical experts, to debunk myths about emergency contraception and expand pharmacists’ counseling skills. In the Philippines, the “DKT Pharmacy Learning Hub” on the SwipeRx app offers free, accredited modules and webinars on family planning, reproductive health, and HIV prevention.
This partnership builds on DKT’s longstanding commitment to provider capacity-building. In 2025 alone, DKT Indonesia trained and detailed more than 240,000 healthcare providers, and DKT Philippines trained over 75,000 providers, strengthening reproductive health access across both countries.
DKT Thailand helps people make smart choices about their futures
In Thailand today, family planning is part of everyday life. People can access free or low-cost contraception through the national health system, and communities, government partners, and nonprofits are working hard to help people understand their options and avoid unplanned pregnancies. Thailand’s focus on healthy, informed choices supports stronger families and healthier lives for people of all ages.
In 2025, DKT’s affiliate program in Thailand delivered tens of thousands of medical abortion units both through public tenders and private channels, and built solid networks of more than 220 outlets that offer care and information. Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) services expanded, and IUDs continued to be a trusted choice for many clients. A new partnership with trusted doctors is laying the groundwork for even more options, like hormonal IUDs, in the coming year. With a strong base in place, DKT Thailand is helping more people access the reproductive health care they need while planning for a bright 2026.
