HRC 57: Joint Civil Society Statement on Abortion : General Debate Item 8
HRC 57: SRI statement to the Interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the rights of older persons
HRC 54 SRI Statement to the ID with the SR on Unilateral Coercive Measures
Autonomy vs Protectionism looking back on our HRC 53 Side-event
SRI Submission on the Draft General Recommendation n°37 on Racial discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to health to be adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
HRC 53 SRI Statement to the Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women: Social Protection
HRC 53 SRI, AWID and FEDERA Statement to the Annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women: GBV in public and political life
HRC 53 Joint Statement: Interactive dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls
HRC 53 SRI Side Event: Autonomy v/s Protectionism: Register Now
2022 In Review
As we embark on another year of activism for sexual rights, we wanted to share with you our highlights of 2022. While the UN human rights system continues to be confronted by multiple challenges –from funding shortages, geopolitical tensions and polarisation and attempts to undermine multilateralism to the presence and influence of regressive and conservative actors, we have made steadfast progress in advancing sexual rights in this system. Read below for our highlights of 2022.
UPR Submissions - 42nd session
The 42nd session of the Universal Periodic review begins on the 23rd of January 2023. The working group session will take place from 23 January to 3 February 2023. 13 Countries will be under review during the session: Czechia, Gabon, Benin, Switzerland, Argentina, Ghana, Guatemala, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Japan, Sri Lanka and Zambia. In collaboration with our partners, the SRI collaborated on reports for Guatemala, Japan, Pakistan, Switzerland and Zambia.
HRC 50 Side Event - Reproductive injustice: Population policies and denial of bodily autonomy
The side event explores the history and resurgence of coercive population policies - from pro-natalist policies to forced sterilisation.
UPR Submissions 50th session
UPR 44 Canada Submission - Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic, Justice for Migrant Workers (J4MW), YWCA Hamilton, The Community Research Platform at McMaster University, and the SRI
This report examines gaps in Canada’s obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil the right to abortion. Abortion is a decriminalized healthcare procedure and is enshrined in numerous human rights instruments and ratified conventions. Despite this, many people in Canada face barriers when seeking abortion services and some are ultimately unable to access care.
UPR Submissions - 44th Session
UPR 43 Botswana Submission - Banana Club, Back Queer DocX, Botswana Trans Initiative, Love|Loss|Life, Mmammati Human Rights Hub, Iranti, SALC and SRI
This report is a joint submission by autonomous collectives in Botswana, whose work is centred on the promotion and protection of LGBTIQ persons, women in the margins of society and young queer persons ’rights and freedoms, with the support of Iranti, Sexual Rights Initiative and Southern Africa Litigation Centre.
UPR Submissions - 42nd session
The 42nd session of the Universal Periodic review begins on the 23rd of January 2023. The working group session will take place from 23 January to 3 February 2023. 13 Countries will be under review during the session: Czechia, Gabon, Benin, Switzerland, Argentina, Ghana, Guatemala, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Japan, Sri Lanka and Zambia. In collaboration with our partners, the SRI collaborated on reports for Guatemala, Japan, Pakistan, Switzerland and Zambia.
UPR Submissions - 43rd session
The 43rd session of the Universal Periodic review begins on 1 May 2023. The working group session will take place from 1 to 12 May 2023. 14 Countries will be under review during the session: France,Tonga, Romania, Mali, Botswana, the Bahamas, Burundi, Luxembourg, Barbados, Montenegro, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Liechtenstein and Serbia. In collaboration with our partners, the SRI collaborated on reports for Romania and Botswana.
UPR 42 Pakistan Submission - FDI, APA and SRI
This joint stakeholder report assesses Pakistan’s progress since its third cycle review in meeting its obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill the sexual and reproductive health and rights obligations it has towards young people, particularly women and transgender persons. The submission focuses on access to safe abortion, the sexual rights of LGBT people, and access to sexual and reproductive health information, education and services.
HRC 51 Joint Civil Society Statement on Abortion
Joint Civil Society Statement on Abortion at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council. This statement has been supported by more 450 organisations and 425 individuals as of Monday, 3 October, 2022. A full list of signatories will be published on our website shortly.
HRC 51 SRI Statement to Item 6 General Debate: Universal Periodic Review
Statement by the Sexual Rights Initiative on the Item 6 General Debate: Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council.
SRI submission to the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health: violence and its impact on the right to health
In response to the Special Rapporteur’s call for inputs on violence and its impact on the right to health, SRI made a submission addressing violations of bodily autonomy and the operation of systems of oppression as structural violence
Joint Submission to the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences
This joint submission in response to the questionnaire by the Special Rapporteur provides context to the analysis on laws on violence against women. As a critical aspect to understanding laws on rape and other forms of sexual violence, this submission locates penal laws within the larger structural paradigm that dictates and influences the enactment and implementation of these laws and policies. It provides critical analysis of the harms of carceral approaches or approaches that rely on punishment and incarceration, when addressing gender-based violence. It argues that the report of the Special Rapporteur is an opportunity to lay down clear frameworks on consent and to counter paternalistic and essentialist discourses.
Submission to the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities Sexual Rights Initiative
This submission reviews bioethics and how it has related to the rights of persons with disabilities. It first highlights how bioethics constitutes its own authority and experts to have a say in the lives of persons with disabilities. Secondly it provides a brief overview of a global feminist approach to bioethics and its contributions to a critique of the field. After highlighting the contributions of women with disabilities to the so-called “bioethical discussions,” the submission recommends to move away from bioethics and adopt a human rights-based analysis.
HRC40 - ITEM 3: Clustered ID with Special Rapporteur on the rights of Persons with Disabilities
40th Session of Human Rights Council
ITEM 3: Clustered ID with Special Rapporteur on the rights of Persons with Disabilities
Statement by Action Canada for Population and Development
28 February 2019
HRC40 - Annual full-day meeting on the Rights of the Child
40th Session of Human Rights Council
HRC40th - Global South Leadership on Women’s and Girls’ Rights
Global South Leadership on Women’s and Girls’ Rights
HRC28 - Annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities
Human Rights Council – 28th session – March 2015
Annual interactive debate on the rights of persons with disabilities
Statement by Action Canada for Population and Development
HRC32 - Item 8
Human Rights Council – 32nd session – June 2016
Item 8:
Statement by Action Canada for Population and Development
27th session - Annual discussion on integration of a gender perspective
ANNUAL DISCUSSION ON INTEGRATION OF A GENDER PERSPECTIVE
27th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
Statement by Action Canada for Population and Development
15th September 2014
Item 5: Annual Interactive Debate on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities
Item 5: Annual Interactive Debate on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities
Statement by Action Canada for Population and Development
Submission to the CEDAW Committee on GR Trafficking
This submission argues that the concept of trafficking should be debunked to give way to policies that ensure migrant rights and address migrant labour. In doing this, it deals with the definition of trafficking in the Convention and its consequent impact on women and girls, especially in the context of migration. The CEDAW Committee now has an opportunity to reframe the understanding of state obligations and standards on the issue of trafficking from a gender perspective, so that it is grounded in human rights and upholds bodily autonomy of women and girls.
The Airlie Declaration on Safe Legal Abortion
We believe in a world where every woman and girl has the right to make decisions about her body, her health and her future. True gender equality cannot be achieved without access to safe, legal abortion.
Yet this vision is still far from reality, due in part to continued restrictions on safe, legal abortion in much of the world. Criminalizing abortion does not eliminate abortion; it puts women’s lives and health at risk.
Download the PDF to continue reading.
2018 Sexual Rights Highlights
Throughout 2018 the UN human rights system continued to be an important space for the development of sexual rights.
SRI submission to the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities: Sexual and reproductive health and rights of persons with disabilities
In response to the Special Rapporteur’s call for input on the right to health, SRI made a submission focusing on the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of persons with disabilities. The submission challenges stereotypes surrounding sexuality and disability, outlines some of the common barriers to SRHR experienced by women and girls with disabilities, and advocates for an approach centered on autonomy.
Rights of the Child in Humanitarian Settings: A missed opportunity
The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI), Child Rights Connect (CRC), the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC), the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Plan International, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) welcome the theme of the Human Rights Council resolution on the protection of the rights of the child in humanitarian situations.
Everything You Need to Know About UPR 29
The 29th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held at the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, from January 15 to 26 2018.
Fourteen countries were reviewed during UPR29: Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Burundi, France, Israel, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mali, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Tonga, and United Arab Emirates.
Country Responses to UPR28 Recommendations
The 28th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held at the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, from 6-17 November 2017.
Country Responses to UPR28 Recommendations
The 28th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held at the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, from 6-17 November 2017.
Here’s What Happened at the 36th UN Human Rights Council
The 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from 11-29 September 2017. Below you will find information on some of the key sexual rights related: Resolutions, Oral Statements, Side Events and Panels.
Joint Statement on Access to Safe and Legal Abortion Globally
HRC36: General Debate Item 8 2
HRC36 Oral Statements
The 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council is took place from 11-29 September 2017. Here are transcripts of oral statements made by the Sexual Rights Initiative.
What to Expect at the 36th Human Rights Council Session
The 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council will take place from the 11th to the 29th of September 2017. Find below information about anticipated sexual rights-related resolutions, panels and reports, UPR outcomes, and parallel events taking place during the 36th session.
Major SRHR Gains at the 35th Human Rights Council Session
Major Gains on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at the 35th Session of the Human Rights Council
Here’s What Happened at HRC35!
The 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from the 6th to the 23rd of June 2017. The HRC35 Recap provides information on some of the key sexual rights related resolutions and oral statements. All of which the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) was engaged with during the session.
HRC35 Oral Statements
The 35th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from the 6th to the 24th of June 2017. The SRI made oral statements related to sexual orientation and gender identity, poverty, women’s rights, peaceful assembly, family, and physical and mental health. Continue reading for complete transcripts of each statement.
Sexual Rights at the 27th UN Universal Periodic Review
The 27th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva from 1-12 May 2017. Eleven countries were reviewed during UPR27: Bahrain, Ecuador, Tunisia, Morocco, Indonesia, Finland, United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Philippines, Algeria, Poland, Netherlands, and South Africa.
HRC34 Panel Highlights: Comprehensive Sexuality Education & Human Rights
The SRI organized a side event on the margins of session 34 of the Human Rights Council to highlight the role of human rights to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event was held alongside the annual Day of Discussion on the Rights of the Child and negotiations on a resolution on the Rights of the Child in the context of the SDGs. A diverse panel of speakers representing States, UN agencies and youth-led organizations delivered insights on the current political, social and factual context of CSE, the need to address deeply entrenched gender norms that stigmatize young people’s sexuality, and solutions that support young people in realizing their human rights, including their right to CSE.
HRC34: Sexual Rights Recap
The 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from the 27th of February to the 24th of March 2017. Here is an overview of resolutions, panel, oral statements and side events related to sexual rights that took place during the session.
HRC33: Sexual Rights Recap
The 33rd session of the UN Human Rights Council took place from the 12th to the 30th of September 2016. Here is an overview of resolutions, panel, oral statements and side events related to sexual rights that took place during the session.
HRC33 Statement: Stop Using Women’s Bodies as the Battlefield!
HRC33 Statement: Stop Using Women’s Bodies as the Battlefield!
Joint Statement and Call for Action for the Polish Parliament to Examine the Right to Access to Safe and Legal Abortion
Joint Statement and Call for Action for the Polish Parliament to Examine the Right to Access to Safe and Legal Abortion
HRC33 Panel: Global Action on Safe and Legal Abortion
In recognition of the Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, the panel will share different country experiences of advocating for safe and legal abortion, highlight the human rights obligations of States to provide access to safe and legal abortion, and discuss opportunities to utilize HRC mechanisms to effect policy and legal changes at the national level.
Twitter Chat: Why a special mechanism on SOGI will set the movement back
Join the Sexual Rights Initiative and our partner, the Coalition for African Lesbians for a Twitter chat this Thursday June 9th on Autonomy and Intersectionality: Why a special mechanism on sexual orientation and gender identity will set back movements on sexuality and gender at the Human Rights Council.
Sexual Rights at UPR25
The 25th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held at the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, from 2-13 May 2016. Below are some sexual rights related highlights from each UPR25 review.
UN CESCR Adopts General Comment on Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health
The Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights’ adopted General Comment 22 on the Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health, adopted in March 2016.
World leaders on women’s reproductive rights draft ‘Airlie Declaration on safe legal abortion’
World leaders on women’s reproductive rights draft ‘Airlie Declaration on safe legal abortion’
CEDAW statement on sexual and reproductive health and rights
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), at its recently concluded session, issued a statement on sexual and reproductive health and rights, which is its contribution to the ICPD@20 review process. The Committee reminds us that it “has observed that failure of a State party to provide services and the criminalisation of some services that only women require is a violation of women’s reproductive rights and constitutes discrimination against them.” It States that “the provision of, inter alia, safe abortion and post abortion care; maternity care; timely diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV), breast and reproductive cancers, and infertility; as well as access to accurate and comprehensive information about sexuality and reproduction, are all part of the right to sexual and reproductive health” and that “every State can and should do more to ensure the full respect, protection and fulfilment of sexual and reproductive rights, in line with human rights obligations.”
“Black Day for Human Rights in India” CREA
Human rights activists across the country are deeply disappointed with today’s decision of the Supreme Court in Suresh Kumar Kaushal v. Naz Foundation to overturn the historic Delhi High Court judgement of 2009, which decriminalised homosexuality in India. CREA believes that today’s decision to set aside that historic and progressive judgement is an unconscionable blow to people’s fundamental rights to equality and freedom from discrimination, violence, and harassment. This is a huge setback not just for the LGBT movement in this country and elsewhere, but also for human rights everywhere.
Federation for Women and Family Planning pushes back against further attempts to restrict access to abortion in Poland
Federation for Women and Family Planning pushes back against further attempts to restrict access to abortion in Poland
Summary of SRI co-organized event on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity during the 24th session of the HRC
Summary of SRI co-organized event on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity during the 24th session of the HRC
Summary of SRI organized event on the Decriminalization of Abortion during the 24th session of the HRC
To commemorate the 2013 Global Day of Action for the Decriminalization of Abortion (September 28th), the Sexual Rights Initiative organized an event that took place during the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council to discuss the realization of women’s human rights, specifically women’s right to access safe and legal abortion, including through the decriminalization of abortion. Being one of the first events on the topic at the Council, it represents a ground-breaking moment in its history. Widely attended by over 30 representatives from Member States – making up half of the audience, UN agencies, civil society, women human rights defenders and academics, they assessed the human rights implications of the criminalization of abortion and explored strategies to strengthen government accountability and responsibility in respecting, protecting and guaranteeing women’s reproductive and human rights.
HRC24: SRI Oral Statements
During the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) collaborated with national-level organizations and advocates to deliver oral statements regarding outcomes from the Universal Periodic Review ‘s (UPR) of Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Russia and Uzbekistan.
Requests for Organizational Sign-On: Joint Statement on Abortion Rights
In support of the September 28 Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion, the Sexual Rights Initiative, Center for Reproductive Rights and Ipas have developed a joint statement on abortion rights for delivery at the upcoming 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The session runs from Sept. 11-29, and the most suitable Council agenda item for the statement would appear to be the general debate on the implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, scheduled for Monday, Sept. 25.
Hague Civil Society Call to Action on Human Rights and ICPD Beyond 2014
Hague Civil Society Call to Action on Human Rights and ICPD Beyond 2014
Save the Date! SRI Parallel event: “Decriminalization of Abortion: A human rights imperative” during 24th session of the HRC
Save the Date! SRI Parallel event: “Decriminalization of Abortion: A human rights imperative” during 24th session of the HRC
Save the Date! SRI Parallel event: “Decriminalization of Abortion: A human rights imperative” during 24th session of the HRC
Save the Date! Parallel event taking place alongside the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council on the decriminalization of abortion.
SRI parallel event on SRHR at HRC23
On June 6th 2013, the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI), in collaboration with the World YWCA, and Permanent Missions to the UN in Geneva of Finland, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Uruguay organized a parallel event on ‘the role of the Human Rights Council in advancing sexual and reproductive rights and health in the post-2015 development agenda’.
SRI @ the ICPD Beyond 2014 International Conference on Human Rights
The ICPD Beyond 2014 International Conference on Human Rights took place in The Netherlands from 7-10 July 2013. The Conference is the second thematic conference, following the ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum (which took place in Indonesia, in December 2012), to take place within the scope of the ongoing review of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD PoA).
SRI collaborates with national organizations and activists in preparation for UPR19
SRI collaborates with national organizations and activists in preparation for UPR19
Summary of Recommendations from UPR 13
The Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) collaborated with national NGOs in several of the countries under review to prepare stakeholder submissions and advocate for strong recommendations on sexual and reproductive rights.
Control over sexuality a major cause of gender related killings
The Special Rapporteur highlights that the killings can be direct with defined perpetrators in the home, community or by the State and, critically, gender-motivated killings can also be indirect where the perpetrator is not so easily defined such as in the case of deaths from clandestine abortions, maternal mortality, deaths from harmful traditional practices and deaths from neglect through starvation or ill-treatment. Restrictive abortion laws and criminalization of abortion that lead women to seek illegal abortions coupled with poor access to reproductive health services have been recognized as causes of preventable maternal mortality. In addition, harmful practices that seek to control women’s and girls’ sexuality through violence and stigma are reinforced by the State’s failure to protect women’s and girls’ rights from a holistic perspective which takes into account the political, economic and social context in which this violence occurs.
We also share the consideration of a problem of killings of women based on sexual orientation and gender identity. This constitutes multiple discrimination and is fueled by homophobic statements and positions by states and non-state actors, including their analysis on tradition, culture and religion.
Criminal Laws and Women’s Right to Health
The Sexual Rights Initiative and partners co-sponsored a side event at the 20th session of the Human Rights Council focusing on criminal laws and women’s right to health. The objective of the event was to provide a forum for States and stakeholders in Geneva to discuss the key findings and recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health’s 2011 report to the General Assembly on the criminalization of sexual and reproductive health including abortion.