Reproductive Rights
are Human Rights
What are human rights?
How are these rights protected?
These are the rights that protect our dignity and our integrity.
They range from political rights (right to life; right to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion; right to freedom of association; right to be free of torture) to social and economic rights
(right to work; right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of physical and mental health).
Since 1948, the United Nations (U.N.) has developed international documents and treaties that explain human rights. Once
governments ratify* treaties, they have the responsibility of
making these rights a reality by creating laws that protect them
and make implementation possible. Countries that have ratified
a treaty must report to a monitoring committee every four to
five years, after providing an initial report, about their progress
toward the implementation of human rights. The committees are made up of independent experts on the topic being
discussed, and they make recommendations to the country in
question. Nongovernmental organizations are invited to submit
“shadow” reports that give another view on the progress made.
What are reproductive rights?
These rights, embodied in other broader human rights,
include:1
1.The right of all couples and individuals to
decide freely and responsibly the number,
spacing and timing of their children, and to
have the information and means to do so
2.The right to attain the highest standard of
sexual and reproductive health
3.The right to make decisions concerning
reproduction free of discrimination, coercion
and violence
For individuals to exercise these rights, certain elements need to
be in place, including full and correct information and education on contraceptive methods and sexuality; equality between
the sexes; protection of privacy; and access to health services.
In addition, a human-rights body composed of members of
the U.N. meets in Geneva to discuss human-rights issues and
abuses and make recommendations for their resolution. Until
March 2006, this body was the U.N. Human Rights Commission. On April 2006 it was replaced by a new body called the
Human Rights Council, which will meet more frequently to
address human-rights issues. When a specific issue is of great
concern, a special investigator (special rapporteur) is appointed.
For example, in 1999, the Commission appointed a special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and, in 2002, a special
rapporteur on the right to health.
1
United Nations. 1996 International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP):
Summary of the programme of action. Available at http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/populatin/icpd.htm#chapter7. Accessed May 11, 2007.
* Ratification means that a country has officially approved a treaty. In the United States, a
two-thirds majority of the U.S. Senate is needed as well as presidential approval. Countries may become signatories to a treaty to express their desire to uphold the treaties, but
they are not bound by international law until they officially ratify the treaty.
International human rights documents
1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted in
1948)2
tion (ICESCR Article 13), the right to freedom of association
(ICCPR Article 22), then we must also promote and protect
reproductive rights. If we are well informed about our human
rights, we can also live healthy and fulfilling lives.
2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)**
3. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights (ICESCR)
4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
5. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination (CERD)**
6. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment**
7. Convention on the Rights of the Child†
Important information to consider
• Human rights evolve and change according to social and
political circumstances.
• The rights of women were specifically recognized in 1979
with CEDAW, including the right to obtain health care and
family planning services.
• The ideas expressed in CEDAW have been reinforced by a
number of international conferences and the resulting documents calling for action:
w 1993 Vienna Declaration and Program of Action
8. Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant
Workers and Members of their Families
w 1994 International Conference on Population and
Development Program of Action, held in Cairo, Egypt
Why should I care about international
human rights?
All of us have the responsibility to make sure that our governments do everything in their power to promote and protect human rights. If human rights are respected, we are more likely to
live in peace and obtain justice. Human rights are considered to
be universal and inalienable. That means that we can’t pick and
choose the rights we want. Therefore, if we want to promote
and protect the right to work and enjoy “just and favorable
conditions of work” (ICESCR Articles 6 &7), the right to educa-
w 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women and
Beijing Platform
w 1999 International Conference on Population and
Development “Cairo +5”
2
Available in various languages at: http://www.unhchr.ch/udhr/index.htm
** Ratified by the United States of America
†
This Convention has been ratified by all member nations of the UN, except for Somalia
and the USA.
Resources
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:
http://www.ohchr.org/
Organizations in the U.S. working on reproductive rights:
Center for Reproductive Rights
http://www.reproductiverights.org
Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/centralnc/
Ipas
http://www.ipas.org
Naral Pro-Choice North Carolina
http://www.prochoicenorthcarolina.org/
Pacific Institute for Women’s Health
http://www.piwh.org
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
http://www.latinainstitute.org/
Plain Talk
http://www.plaintalk.org
SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective
http://www.SisterSong.net
P.O. Box 5027 • Chapel Hill, NC 27514 USA
1.919.967.7052 • [email protected]
www.ipas.org
Ipas works globally to increase women’s ability to exercise their sexual and
reproductive rights and to reduce abortion-related deaths and injuries. We seek
to expand the availability, quality and sustainability of abortion and related
reproductive-health services, as well as to improve the enabling environment. Ipas
believes that no woman should have to risk her life or health because she lacks safe
reproductive-health choices.
©2007 Ipas.
RRHRFLY-E07