SRI, IWRAW Asia Pacific and AWID made a joint submission in response to the Working Group’s call for inputs on “Human security of women and girls in the context of poverty and inequality.” The submission advocates for an economic justice approach and class analysis of poverty and inequality.

In this joint submission, we examine the Government of South Africa’s human rights record since its third-cycle universal periodic review (UPR) in 2017. Specifically, we assess the government’s fulfilment of adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights. To this end, we analyse South Africa’s implementation of recommendations received relating to these issues and provide specific, action-orientated follow-up recommendations at the conclusion of this submission. Between the 9th and 10th of March 2022, 15 youth led, serving and focused organizations in South Africa convened in person and virtually to deliberate on how COVID-19 has affected the HIV, SRHR and GBV/F outcomes of adolescents and young people in their diversity.

This report has been jointly prepared by the African Sex Workers Alliance (ASWA), the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) and Sisonke, South Africa. It seeks to highlight the existing and ongoing human rights violations against sex workers due to restrictive and punitive laws and policies in South Africa It also outlines South Africa commitment to provision and protection of rights through various national and international mechanisms, including the previous cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the relevant recommendations.

This report is submitted by Rutgers and the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) and focuses on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights in The Netherlands. In general, SRHR in the Netherlands are well respected, however, challenges remain with regards to the provision of comprehensive sexuality education, the persistence of sexual violence and access to information, education, contraceptives and services for marginalized groups.

This report is submitted jointly by the Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland and the Sexual Rights Initiative. The report focuses on violations of women’s sexual and reproductive rights in Poland and the stark impact of the restriction on abortion introduced in November 2020 that amounts to quasi total abortion ban in Poland. The report also addresses barriers in access to contraception, neglect and demonisation of comprehensive sexuality education, and the decrease in ante-natal care.

This report is jointly submitted by CREA and the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI). The report outlines the current legal and policy context as relates to sex work - and the threat posed by ongoing legislative and executive initiatives that conflate trafficking with voluntary adult sex work. It focuses on how criminalization of all forms of sex work harms sex workers in India, and violates their fundamental rights as contained in the Constitution of India and in international treaties and norms, exposing sex workers to violence, police harassment, and hindering access to justice and healthcare.

This submission, prepared ahead of the 4th Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the Republic of India, looks at the challenges faced by the adolescent and youth population in India in relation to their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), HIV and human rights. Three key issues, in particular, that affect the country’s adolescents and young people, i.e., SRHR including abortion for adolescents and youth with disabilities and HIV (AL&YPLHIV) have been researched. The report also provides recommendations to the state of India with respect to these issues.

The 41st session of the Universal Periodic review begins on the 7th of November 2022, and this session marks the beginning of the fourth cycle of the UPR. The working group session will take place from 7 November to 18 November 2022. 14 Countries will be under review during the session: Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, Finland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, India, Brazil, Philippines, Algeria, Poland, Netherlands and South Africa. In collaboration with our partners, the SRI collaborated on reports for South Africa, India, Poland and the Netherlands.

La sesión 41° del Examen Periódico Universal comienza el 7 de noviembre y marca el comienzo del cuarto ciclo del EPU. La sesión del grupo de trabajo se desarrollará del 7 al 18 de noviembre. En esta sesión serán examinados 14 países: Bahréin, Ecuador, Túnez, Marruecos, Indonesia, Finlandia, Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte, India, Brasil, Filipinas, Argelia, Polonia, Países Bajos y Sudáfrica. En colaboración con aliades, la SRI colaboró en la preparación de informes sobre Sudáfrica, India, Polonia y Países Bajos.

La 41e séance de l’Examen périodique universel (EPU) commence le 7 novembre, marquant le début du quatrième cycle de l’EPU. La séance du groupe de travail se tiendra du 7 au 18 novembre. Quatorze pays feront l’objet d’un examen au cours de cette séance : le Royaume de Bahreïn, l’Équateur, la Tunisie, le Maroc, l’Indonésie, la Finlande, le Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d’Irlande du Nord, l’Inde, le Brésil, les Philippines, l’Algérie, la Pologne, les Pays-Bas et l’Afrique du Sud. En collaboration avec ses partenaires, la SRI a collaboré à des rapports concernant l’Afrique du Sud, l’Inde, la Pologne et les Pays-Bas.