Unsafe abortion in Africa affects not only women, but also their children, families and communities To counter this extremely costly yet easily preventable problem, African nations must ensure that health systems are trained and equipped to help prevent unwanted pregnancy, to treat women in emergency situations, and to make safe abortion services available to the full extent of the law. One critical component of this process is comprehensive woman-centred care, an approach that emphasises access, choice and quality of services. This article examines this and the obstacles to safe abortion care, as well as how they can be overcome through broad-based partnerships.