HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 41st SESSION

Two Statements

1. Critical gains despite backlash



Joint statement by the Center for Reproductive Rights, Sexual Rights Initiative, Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, Plan International, Choice for Youth and Sexuality, ARROW, Coalition of African Lesbians, Federation for Women and Family Planning, IPPF, RFSU and AWID on the outcome of the 41st session of the Human Rights Council. 

The undersigned organizations applaud the Human Rights Council for upholding the strongest standards of women’s and girls’ rights through the adoption of resolutions on violence against women and girls, discrimination against women and girls, and child, early and forced marriage. 

Despite concerted opposition by some States and anti-rights organizations who tried to undermine the existing legal framework on women’s and girls’ rights and on sexual and reproductive health and rights, the Council stood strong and delivered, under the leadership of principled core groups, strong resolutions that highlight critical human rights abuses facing women and girls.  

Standards on the right to sexual and reproductive health, women’s and girls’ full, effective and meaningful participation, substantive equality, bodily autonomy and comprehensive sexuality education were upheld and reinforced, despite numerous amendments against them that were defeated across these three resolutions. 

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2. Joint Statement on Adolescents & Youth by 300 Civil Society Organizations



Through the Vienna Declaration and numerous regional and international commitments, member states agreed to respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights of adolescents and young people, including their rights to life, bodily autonomy, education including comprehensive sexuality education, survival, and development. However, many member states are hesitant to recognise the role of adolescents and young people’s sexuality beyond links to reproduction. 

Human rights violations affecting adolescents and youth must be located within the context of multiple and intersecting oppressions. Millions of them, especially girls, are coerced into unwanted sex or marriage (UNICEF), putting them at risk of unwanted or early pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV, and life-threatening childbirth (ARROW). Indeed, pregnancy and childbirth-related complications are the leading cause of death among adolescent girls aged 15-19 years worldwide WHO.

SOURCE: For a full report of all SRHR-related resolutions, oral statements, side events and Universal Periodic Review statements: Sexual Rights Initiative Newsletter, 16 July 2019 ; PHOTO

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GIBRALTAR

A referendum on a better abortion law set for Gibraltar March 2020

 
Choice demonstrators shouting #passthebill to all the MP entering @gibparl
Passers by from the @IslandGamesAsso Cheering along with us. (Choice Gibraltar, 12 July 2019)

The government of Gibraltar went back on its promise to make Gibraltar’s abortion law compliant with the Human Rights set out by the UK Supreme Court. Instead they have decided to put changing the abortion law to a public referendum. As the people of Ireland will be able to tell them, a public referendum will mean people who have had abortions being called upon to tell their “stories” in order to be judged by their peers. We are pretty cross about this, and while we hope the voters of Gibraltar do the right thing, we are sorry that the government has decided to play politics with women’s bodies (Abortion Support Network).

In Gibraltar, part of the United Kingdom in the south of Spain, abortion is illegal. The government promised earlier this year to reform the law, making abortion legal in cases of risk to the life of the woman or the fetus, and in cases of rape and sexual abuse. Instead, they have called a referendum on the proposed law change, set to take place on 19 March 2020. 

SOURCES: Choice 12 July 2019, No More Shame, 17 July 2019 ; MFPF Newsletter, 18 July 2019 ; Abortion Support Network News, July 2019 ; Campaign news reports (for history): 13 March 2018 ;  8 June 2018 ; 29 November 2018

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CROATIA

Croatian women are accessing abortions in Slovenia

 

POLAND

Polish women travelling for abortions to Ukraine, Austria, Germany, Belgium, UK and Slovakia



Anna (a pseudonym), aged 39, qualified for a legal termination under Polish law, but a woman needs a doctor to write a referral: "Many won't," she said, "either because they signed a conscience clause that they won't perform abortions, or don't want any trouble. There was a real chance of going one hospital to another, passing banners with chopped up foetuses on my way, hoping someone would take pity on me. Hoping that the nurses wouldn't let me know they think I'm a murderess. I couldn't imagine going through that. I went to Germany, to a small town near the border. There were 10 people in the waiting room, a lot of young girls, but those my age too. All Polish. The procedure took 15 minutes. Physically I was relieved, but mentally I was broken. Not because of any sense of guilt – only sadness and despair."

In 2010, around 15% of these abortions took place abroad, but this figure may have risen to 20% by now, according to the Federation for Women and Family Planning. Destinations include Ukraine, Austria, Germany, Belgium, the UK and Slovakia. The only other option, apart from the backstreets, is to import abortion pills from abroad, which is illegal.

SOURCE: EU Observer, by Michael Bird, Lina Vdovii, Blaz Zgaga, 23 July 2019 ; PHOTO, Eric Maurice, Poland 2016

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USA

Manslaughter charge for Alabaman woman dropped following public outrage


Watch the video

An Alabama woman Marshae Jones, age 28, was five months pregnant when 23-year-old Ebony Jemison shot her in the stomach during an argument over the father of the baby. Jemison was initially charged with manslaughter, but a Jefferson County grand jury declined to indict her after police said an investigation found that Jones had started the fight, and that Jemison claimed she shot her in self-defence. Jones was then indicted by the same grand jury instead. The indictment stated that Jones did “intentionally cause the death” of ‘Unborn Baby Jones’ by initiating a fight knowing she was five months pregnant.” 

The law firm White Arnold & Dowd, representing Jones, said: “Marshae has been subjected to extraordinary violence, trauma and loss over the past year”, adding that Jones recently lost her home to a fire and lost her job. “Now, for reasons that defy imagination, she faces an unprecedented legal action that subjects this victim of violence to further distress and harm.” They also noted that Jones has no criminal history and is raising a young daughter.

The news of the prosecution caused an outcry across the USA, and led to the charges against Jones being dropped. Lynn Paltrow, the head of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, who have worked in Alabama and with similar cases across the USA, discussed the prosecution of Marshae Jones with Amy Goodman live on Democracy Now! 

SOURCES: National Advocates for Pregnant Women Newsletter, 19 July 2019 ; Democracy Now, 8 July 2019 ; Associated Press, 28 June 2019

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The International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion is looking for a Press Officer/Researcher with excellent experience working with the media, and building and strengthening relationships with journalists, as well as research skills and experience, preferably with knowledge of global issues related to abortion and a history of work in a feminist organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to work in the international abortion rights movement. Job description 

Application deadline: 9 August 2019

Please send your CV, three writing samples – such as a news article, a press release, and/or a research report – and a cover letter (no more than 2 pages) explaining why you are interested in the job and how you think you can contribute to the Campaign’s press and media work.

Do not forget to complete our membership survey !

We want to hear from you about your experience as part of the International Campaign so far! This short survey takes 5 - 10 minutes to complete. Your feedback about the Campaign is important to us, it will help us learn more about our member base, your views on the Campaign's work, and which ways the Campaign can best support your work. Please complete the survey by 16th August 2019.

https://forms.gle/dRMSzyZuMBpEx4NQ8

 
If you have any questions in regard to the survey, please contact Christina at: christina@safeabortionwomensright.org
 
Thank you for all the responses we have received so far!!