Fact Sheets

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Documenting the Human Rights Impact of Retrogressive Legislative and Policy Barriers on Women’s Access to abortion in Macedonia: Key Findings and Recommendations

05.22.18 - In 2013 and 2014, Macedonian lawmakers introduced a series of new legal requirements, including a three-day mandatory waiting period, mandatory biased counseling and a mandatory ultrasound, which must be complied with before women can access abortion on request during the first 10 weeks of…

Whelan v. Ireland: Ireland Must Reform its Abortion Law to Prevent Violations of Women's Human Rights

01.23.18 - In June 2017, the United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled for the second time that by prohibiting and criminalizing abortion, Ireland violated a woman’s fundamental human rights. In the case of Whelan v. Ireland, the Committee held that by prohibiting Ms…

Fact Sheet: The Global Gag Rule and Human Rights

01.09.18 - Under the Global Gag Rule, the U.S. is turning its back on the human rights of women and girls around the world…

Detention and Abuse of Women Seeking Maternal Health Services

05.30.17 - On September 17, 2015, the High Court of Kenya issued a groundbreaking judgment in the case of Millicent Awuor (Maimuna) & Margaret Anyoso Oliele v. Attorney General and others, Constitutional Petition No. 562 of 2012…

Reproductive Rights in Indian Courts

04.06.17 - Over the last decade, Indian courts have issued several notable decisions recognizing women’s reproductive rights as part of the “inalienable survival rights” implicitly protected under the fundamental right to life…

Criminalization of Abortion in the Philippines Fact Sheet

03.21.17 - The Philippines criminalizes abortion without any clear exception. Despite the criminal abortion ban, women and girls continue to undergo abortions which are often performed under unsafe conditions and result in complications that require immediate medical treatment…

Centering Human Rights in the Response to Zika

09.08.16 - Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, this statement calls for a human rights-based approach to the Zika epidemic…

Mellet v. Ireland: Ireland must legalize abortion to end violations of women's human rights

09.07.16 - In June 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Committee issued a groundbreaking decision in the case of Mellet v. Ireland. The Committee held that by prohibiting and criminalizing abortion, and thereby preventing Ms…