Our Women of the World reports document laws and policies which impact women’s reproductive and sexual health and shape their reproductive choices. Reproductive rights are internationally recognized as critical to both advancing women's human rights and promoting development. In recent years, governments worldwide have acknowledged and pledged to advance reproductive rights to an unprecedented degree. Formal laws and policies are crucial indicators of government commitment to promoting reproductive rights.

The Women of the World reports are the product of collaboration between the Center for Reproductive Rights and NGOs around the world. Each volume presents regional and national information about the following:

• Laws and policies regarding health, population, contraception, abortion, sterilization, safe pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted infections;
• Women's legal status within marriage, including divorce, custody and property; labor rights; access to credit and education; and the right to physical integrity;
• Reproductive health and rights of adolescents, including the legal status of adolescent marriage, sex education, and sexual offenses against minors;
• Customary and religious laws and practices that influence the status of women and girls. The reports show that although governments have adopted laws and policies to promote women's reproductive health and rights, such instruments have not always had the desired effect. In fact, oftentimes, the problem lies with the law or policy itself. The reproductive rights of women in the region continue to be violated with impunity due to the lack of enforcement of potentially beneficial laws and the lack of accountability for governmental failure to remove barriers to health care and to end gender-based discrimination.

• Order Women of the World: Laws and Policies Affecting Their Reproductive Lives, East and Southeast Asia from our online bookstore > >
• Download the Vietnam Chapter for free (PDF) > >

• Governments in Action > >
• Promote Access to the Full Range of Abortion Technologies: Remove Barriers to Medical Abortion > >