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A number of subtopics are included in the Reproductive Rights section:
Abortion:The right to have an abortion is one of the most controversial in international law. The abortion materials included on this site outline the controversy and identify the sources of the right to abortion under both human rights and humanitarian law.
Adolescents: Adolescents around the world have special reproductive and sexual rights, needs and concerns. These include issues such as early marriage, the right to know (access to information about sexual and reproductive health and rights), HIV/AIDS, and abortion.
Female Genital Cutting (FGC): Female genital cutting includes all procedures which involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-therapeutic reasons. Materials included discuss the international legal standards and international movements to eradicate female genital cutting.
HIV/AIDS: The sexual and economic subordination of women leaves them more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, less likely to receive appropriate care, and more likely to suffer discrimination because of their condition. Materials on HIV/AIDS discuss how the HIV/AIDS pandemic is affecting women's human rights, the international human rights laws which are applicable to the violations occurring, and the international response to these violations.
Reproductive Freedom: The International Conference on Population and Development (the Cairo Conference, 1996) testified to the centrality of reproductive self-determination to the dignity of women. Materials on this topic explore the meaning and importance of the right to "reproductive freedom" under international law.
Right to Know: Reproductive rights cannot be fully exercised unless women have sufficient information about their sexual and reproductive rights. Materials on this topic explore how the right to know under international law imposes a positive obligation on governments to provide information about reproductive health and choice, beyond the duty to refrain from interfering with the communication of such information by others.
Safe Motherhood: The rate of preventable maternal mortality is a symptom of the larger social injustice of discrimination against women and violation of women's human rights. The hundreds of thousands of avoidable maternal deaths each year serves as continuing evidence of the unstated presumption of many societies that the lives of mothers are expendable and that women do not matter. Materials included on this site examine how ensuring safe motherhood to reduce avoidable maternal death is not only a matter of effective health interventions, but also a matter of social justice.
Human Rights Advances in Women’s Reproductive Health in Africa
Human Rights Advances in Women’s Reproductive Health in Africa Ngwena, Charles Brookman-Amissah, Eunice Skuster, Patty Reproductive Rights
This article discusses the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights’ adoption in 2014 of General Comment No 2 to interpret provisions of Article 14 of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa. The provisions are related to women’s rights to fertility control, contraception, family planning, information, education, and abortion. The General Comment No 2 goes beyond merely providing states with guidance for framing their domestic laws and also educates healthcare providers, lawyers, policymakers, and judicial officers about the pertinent jurisprudence. The article discusses how the General Comment is particularly helpful because of its emphasis on state obligations to respect, protect, promote, and fulfil their rights guaranteed to women by the Protocol. The article also notes the significance of the fact that the General Comment reflects the WHO definition of a holistic conception of health and the benefits that result from this approach.
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Human Rights Advances in Women’s Reproductive Health in Africa
Human Rights and Women's Reproductive Health
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Human Rights and Women's Reproductive Health
This website provides an overview of international human rights law and reproductive health. It contains excerpts from relevant international treaties and conventions, as well as documents supporting the responsibility of governments to guarantee women's reproductive rights. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - Overview, International]
This website provides an overview of the right to health. It contains excerpts from relevant international treaties and conventions, as well as documents supporting the responsibility of governments to guarantee this right. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - Overview, International]
This site aims to serve as a comprehensive portal on issues of gender and HIV/AIDS and to promote knowledge sharing and action on HIV/AIDS as a human rights issue. Information on the site includes research, studies, surveys, current news and best practices. The resources are organized under topics relating to HIV/AIDS and gender, including a topic on legislation and policy. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, International]
With a focus on providing a gateway to information on development, this comprehensive website contains regularly updated links to reports by a diversity of groups on various issues concerning gender and HIV/AIDS. The site also provides links to tool kits from organizations working on HIV/AIDS initiatives. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, International]
The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS is a network of civil society groups, governments, United Nations organizations and groups of women with HIV/AIDS. The coalition aims to publicize the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and to undertake actions including prevention, access to care, legal inequalities and reducing violence against women. Resources on the site include background information on difference topics of concern, fact sheets on specific countries and links to relevant information from partner organizations. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, International]
This site is hosted by the University of Iowa and provides an online journal of bibliographies. The purpose is to provide access to the literature on female genital mutliation, focusing on Africa. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - Female Genital Cutting, International - Africa]
The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) aims to lead and support an expanded response to the AIDS epidemic through initiatives to prevent transmission, provide care for infected persons, assist vulnerable communities and alleviate the broad impact of the epidemic. The website contains many resources relevant to women, which can be listed through a keyword search for gender. Resources include reports on various issues concerning women, speeches, fact sheets and press releases. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, International]
The International Community of Women Living with AIDS is an international network organized by and providing services for women with AIDS. The group aims to advocate for the needs of women with AIDS in national and international forums. One element of the work of the group is to engage in research on issues facing women with AIDS and the website provides comprehensive links to this research. Many of these resources focus on the human rights of women with AIDS. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, International]
The Global Health Council is a non-profit membership organisation which was created in the United States to identify priority health problems and report on them. This site provides access to the Women's Reproductive Health Initiative (a Global Health Council program) and the Global HIV/AIDS program. The program's mission is to encourage communication and cooperation between AIDS service organizations around the world. The network of links listed on this site includes hundreds of private and public organisations and several thousand professionals based in and outside of the United States. [Descriptors: Reproductive Rights - HIV/AIDS, International]
