Speaking to te kūkupa and Te Hiku Media, University of Auckland PhD student Fern Smith, based in Te Hiku o Te Ika, is leading research into Māori girls’ experiences of abortion in Te Tai Tokerau, looking at how rangatahi navigate their reproductive autonomy and access to care. Smith, who attended Kaitaia College and whose whānau whenua is Whangaruru, is Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hau. She is speaking to taitamawahine aged 18 and over who accessed abortion care as rangatahi. She is also interviewing abortion service providers to assess how access has changed since the 2020 law reform which removed abortion from the Crimes Act.