November 4, 2019

News |

Global Declaration on Abortion

This joint declaration on abortion for the Nairobi Summit on ICPD25 (November 12-14, 2019) was developed by the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Center for Reproductive Rights, CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, Ipas, Marie Stopes International, Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ), SPECTRA and Vecinas Feministas por la Justicia Sexual y Reproductiva de America Latina y el Caribe. Safe abortion is critical to the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights commitments of the International Conference on Population and Development, and the continued commitments following ICPD+25. 

The Global Declaration on Abortion is also available in SpanishFrench and Portuguese.

Preamble

Over the last 25 years, governments, health providers and civil society have taken major steps to advance women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive rights, in line with international human rights standards and public health guidance, including liberalizing abortion laws in over 50 countries. In addition, medical abortion has revolutionized access and improved safety of abortion around the world.

Yet more must be done. Globally, 1 in 4 women will access abortion care in their lifetime. Of the 56 million abortions that happen each year, 25 million are unsafe with a resulting 44,000 women and girls dying—roughly 8 percent of all global maternal deaths—and 7 million more women in developing countries suffering serious, often permanent, injuries. The vast majority of these deaths and injuries are preventable and occur where laws are most restrictive. Evidence shows that restricting access to abortion does not decrease women seeking abortion, it only makes it less safe, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable women and girls. The Sustainable Development Goals will not be met if access to safe abortion care is not urgently addressed.

We therefore urge governments, UN agencies, civil society organizations, health providers, the private sector and the donor community to:

  • Make abortion, including abortion self-care, safe, legal, available, accessible and affordable by eliminating all laws and policies that restrict or criminalize access.
  • Ensure that universal health coverage integrates–and makes accessible and affordable–an essential package of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health information, and services, including abortion, post-abortion and contraception, into national strategies, budgets and programs.
  • Provide children and young people—both in and out of school—with comprehensive sexuality education that supports their right to informed choice and autonomy, including evidence-based information on contraception and abortion, and connects them with sexual and reproductive health services that are free, accessible, age-responsive, nondiscriminatory, and do not require third-party authorization.
  • Increase access to early, quality medical abortion to make abortions safer, particularly in low-resource settings, by training providers at all levels, and by providing information, funding and resources for out of clinic access through hotlines, telemedicine and self-care referral systems.
  • Meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of marginalized groups such as young women, indigenous women, women with disabilities, unmarried women and girls, and trans men by addressing the multiple barriers that prevent them from accessing services, by training and sensitizing providers, and by designing intersectional interventions that address social, cultural and economic needs, and help to improve equity and ensure their access to contraception and abortion.
  • Promote gender equality and women’s and girls’ autonomy by implementing interventions at all levels to change harmful social and gender norms and stereotypes around sexuality, pregnancy and abortion; and by engaging partners, relatives and community members as supportive advocates for sexual and reproductive rights and abortion.
  • Provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare to those affected by sexual and gender- based violence, including access to emergency contraception, safe abortion services and psycho-social support as defined under CEDAW, ICCPR and CAT.
  • Guarantee sexual and reproductive health information and services, including comprehensive abortion care and contraception, in humanitarian settings, especially for all survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

Signatories

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

Action Works Nepal

ActionAid

African Women Rising

African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

African Youth Safe Abortion Alliance (AYOSA)

Agrupación Ciudadana por la Despenalización del Aborto

AIDOS – Italian Association for Women in Development

Aidsfonds

Akina Mama wa Afrika

Albanian Center for Population and Development

Alianza por la Solidaridad

Alliance of Women Advocating for Change (AWAC)

Allliance for Choice

Amazone Advisors

AMICALE DU NID

Amnesty International

Área Salud, Economía y Sociedad, CEDES (Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad)

ARROW

Articulación Feminista Marcosur

ASFAMM-association pour la Sante des Femmes d’Afrique du Maghreb et du Moyen Orient

Asociación Ciudadana ACCEDER

Asociación Familia Sana

Associação Moçambicana de Obstetras e Ginecologistas (AMOG)

Association Congolaise pour les Droits et la Santé

Association de Lutte contre les Violences faites aux Femmes

ASSOCIATION DES FEMMES DE L EUROPE MERIDIONALE

Association européenne de la pensée libre AEPL-EU

Association for Human Rights and Active Citizenship PaRiter

Association for Research and Social Innovation (ADT)

Association of Belarusian Guides

Association of Women of Ukraine «DIYA/ACTION»

Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice

August Vermeylenfonds

Austrian Family Planning Association (Oegf)

AwazCDS-Pakistan

Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud AC

Balanced Stewardship Development Association (BALSDA)

Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw, Inc.

Belarusian Organization of Working Women

Beyond Beijing Committee (BBC) Nepal

Bixby Program in Population and Reproductive Health at UCLA

BLAST

Bori se ženski! (Бори се женски!)

Borisov women social public association “Provincia”

British Society of Abortion Care Providers

Business women club Southwest Pinsk

Catholics for Choice

Católicas pelo Direito de Decidir

Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir Perú

Center “Women’s perspectives”

Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)

Center for Reproductive Health Training (CIRHT)

Center for Reproductive Rights

Center Women and Modern World

Centre d’Action Laïque

Centre d’Initiatives et d’Actions pour le Développement durable au Burundi (CIAD Burundi)

Centre for Girls and Interaction (CEGI)

Centre for Solutions Journalism – Malawi

Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE)

Centre Ombre de la Femme du Burundi

Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales

Centro de Estudios y Capacitación Familiar (CEFA)

Centro de Investigación Epidemiológica en Salud Sexual y Reproductiva

Centro de Promoción de la Mujer Micaela Bastidas – Trujillo

Centro de la Mujer Peruana Flora Tristán

Chambre Transversale des Jeunes Entrepreneurs du Burundi

CHANGE

Chipembere Community Development Oreganisation

CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality

Clopsy

Coalition for Prevention of Unsafe Abortion

COJET/PLATE-FORME

Colectiva Feminista MAPAS

Colectiva Matria

Colectivo por la Igualdad De Género Piura

Colectivo Rebeldía

Colectivo Sonqo Warmi Cusco

COLLECTIF DES ASSOCIATIONS FEMINIES POUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT

Collective for Social Science Research

Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres (CLADEM)

Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres, CLADEM – Bolivia

Comité de América Latina y el Caribe para la Defensa de los Derechos de las Mujeres, CLADEM – Perú

Community Initiative for Social Empowerment (CISE Malawi)

Community Youth Development Foundation

Concept Foundation

CONSORTIUM FEMME ET JUSTICE

Coordinadora de la Mujer

Coordination française pour le Lobby Européen des Femmes

COPUA

Corporación Casa de la Mujer

CREA

Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction, Rhodes University

CURE Foundation/Fondacija CURE

Dance4Life

DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era)

De Maakbare Mens

DEBOUT FILLE

deMens.nu

DEMUS

Department of Health

Development and Relief Solutions – DRESO

Deverlanges Blandine

DKT International FWACA

DKT WomanCare Global

Dynamic Femmes

Educating Girls and Young Women for Development (EGYD)

Ehsas Films Project

ELA – Equipo Latinoamericano de Justicia y Género

Ella vzw

Emthonjeni

EngenderHealth

Equality Fund

Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia – México

Equipop

Eugene Environmental FilmFestival

European College of Liberal Arts in Belarus (ECLAB, https://eclab.by)

Eyala

Fabs organization

Facultad de Psicología UMSNH

Family Health Options Kenya

Family planning Association of Nepal, palpa branch

Federación Planificación Familiar Estatal

Federation for Women and Family Planning

Federation of Women Lawyers-FIDA Kenya

Feminism UA

Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM)

FOKUS – Forum for Women and Development

FONDATION SOLIDARITÉ FAMILIALE, FOSOF

Fondo de Aborto para la Justicia Social MARIA

Fonds d’Entraide Georges Beernaerts / Onderling Steunfonds Georges Beernaerts

Fonds Lucien De Coninck

Food and Rural Development Foundation

Foro Regional por los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos de Arequipa

Fundación Arcoiris por el Respeto a la Diversidad Sexual

Fundación ESAR

Fundación Mexicana para la Planeación Familiar, AC MEXFAM

Fundación para Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer (FEIM)

Fundación Si Mujer

Furia vzw

Gender-Centru

Genderise

Generation Initiative for Women and Youths Network (GIWYN)

Girls Go Green Initiative

Global Coalition of Women Against AIDS in Uganda (GCOWAU)

Golden Centre for Women’s Rights Uganda

Governance Links

Gracious Foundation in Uganda

GROOTS Kenya(Grassroots Organizations Operating Together in Sisterhood)

Groupement des femmes vivant avec le VIH, GFV-VIH

Guttmacher Institute

Hábitat Mujer Salud

Hablemos de Derechos Humanos

Hand in Hand with Educated and Labour People (HHELp)

Haurralde Fundazioa

Health Development Initiative (HDI)

HERA (Health Education and Research Association) Macedonia

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia

Hidden Pockets Collective

Hivos

Human  Rights Law Network

Humanistisch Verbond

Humanists International

Humanists UK

Humanity Diaspo

Ibis Reproductive Health

ICRHM (Centro Internacional para Saúde Reprodutiva)

ICW Latina Comunidad Internacional de Mujeres viviendo con VIH

ILGA World

ILS Law College

Informational Legal Centre “VIALEX”

Insight Public Organization

Instituto de Salud Popular (INSAP)

Instituto Feminista Nísia Floresta

International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion

International Federation of Business and Professional Women

International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations

International Planned Parenthood Federation

International Planned Parenthood Federation – Western Hemisphere (IPPF-WHR)

International Public Association “Gender Perspectives”

International Women’s Health Coalition

International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP)

International Youth Alliance for Family Planning Uganda

Ipas

Irshad Ahmed Junejo

Julius Vuylstekefonds

Justice and Rights Institute-Nepal (JuRI-Nepal)

Kenya Human Rights Commission

Kijiji Afrika

Kuza Livelihood Improvement Projects

Kyrgyz Family Planning Alliance (KFPA)

La Cadejos – Comunicación Feminista

La Mujer en Africa Austral Mozambique (WLSAMOZ em ingles)

Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network

Le Planning Familial

LeadAfrica

LGBTI Support Center

Ligue pour la solidarité congolaise

Local Democracy Agency Mostar

London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign

Love Matters India

LUNA vzw

MANAB UNNAYAN KENDRA MUK

Marie Stopes International

Materské centeum Slniečko

Mauritius Council of Social Service

Médecins du monde France

Medecins Sans Frontieres/ Kirketon Road Centre

Medical Rights Watch

Medical Student for Choice Malawi Chapter

Medical Students for Choice

MenEngage Global Alliance

Moldovan A.O. Liceum

Movimiento Amplio de Mujeres de Puerto Rico (MAMPR)

Movimiento Manuela Ramos

Moyo the journalist

Naguru Teenage Information and Health Center

Nalane for Reproductive Justice

Naripokkho

Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa

Network for Building Peace

NGO Center “RESONANCE”

Non-commercial partnership ” Woman today”

Nyale Institute

Observatorio de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos de la Personas con Discapacidad, (ODISEX Perú)

Office for European Expertise and Communications

Organisation For Health in Substainble development (OHISD)

OutRight Action International

PARI o DISPARE

Partners in Sexual Health

Pathfinder International

People’s Health Movement

PIAI “Region 119”

Plan International

Planned Parenthood Global

Plateforme RHRN SÉNÉGAL

Population Connection Action Fund

Population Services International

Population, Health and Development Group (PHD Group)

POSITIVE WOMEN

Private citizen of Australia

Profamilia

Prokiti Jubo Sangsad (Bangladesh Model Youth Parliment)

Promundo-US

Queer Youth Group

Radanar Ayar Association

Radha Paudel Foundation

Red de Educación Popular entre Mujeres – REPEM

Red de Mujeres por una Opinión Pública con Perspectiva de Género AC

Red de Mujeres Trabajadoras Sexuales LAC (RedTraSex)

Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas y del Caribe

Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir

REDAAS – Red de Acceso al Aborto Seguro Argentina

Reproductive Health Uganda

Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice (RESURJ)

Réussir l’Égalité Femmes-Hommes (REFH)

RFSL, the Swedish Federation for LGBTQ Rights

RFSU

Right Here Right Now

RNW Media

ROSHNI Foundation

Rutgers

SafeHands

SAMSARA

Sarajevo Open Centre

SARChI Chair in Gender Politics

School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape

Sensoa

Servicios Humanitarios en Salud Sexual y Reproductiva, ac

Sex og Politikk

Sexual and Reproductive Rights Network

SEXUAL HEALTH Switzerland

Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Alliance Uganda

SFBSP-Burundi(Solidarité des Femmes Burundaises pour le bien être et le progrès)

Simavi

Societatea de Planificare a Familiei din Moldova/Family Planning Association of Moldova

Solidarité avec les Victimes et pour la Paix-SOVIP

Solidarité des Femmes pour le Développement Intégral “SOFEDI”

Solidarité des jeunes filles pour l’éducation et l’intégration socioprofessionnelle, SOJFEP

Solidarité Femmes Burundaises pour le Bien Etre social et le Progrès au Buruni

Sonke Gender Justice

SOS SEXUALITÉ POUR TOUS

SOUTHERN AFRICA LITIGATION CENTRE

Space Allies

SPECTRA

SRJC

Stella Network

Sukaar welfare organization

Surkuna – Centro de apoyo y protección de los derechos humanos

Swaziland Women’s Land Rights Alliance

Swichi uganda

Taller Salud

TERRE DES JEUNES Du Burundi

The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA)

The Community Health Rights Network (COHERINET)

The Lotus Identity

Tusitukirewamu Group Bwaise

Udruženje “Ženska Vizija”  Association “Womens Vision “

Udruženje za društvena istraživanja i komunikacije (UDIK)

Uganda Youth Alliance for Family Planning and Adolescent Health

Uganda Youth and Adolescent Health Forum

Uitstraling Permanente Vorming

Ujala Network

Ujima Doula Services

unis pour le developpement  et la communication

United for a Purpose Brigade (Up Brigade)

Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo

UNIVERSIDAD MICHOACANA DE SAN NICOLÁS DE HIDALGO

Universitair Centrum voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (UCOS)

University of Benin

University of California Irvine/Independent

Uplift International

UPV kern denderdstreek

UŽ “SEKA” Goražde

Väestöliitto – The Family Federation of Finland

Vecinas Feministas por la Justicia Sexual y Reproductiva de America Latina y el Caribe

Vishakha

Vision Spring Initiatives

Voice for Choice Malta

Vrijzinnig Centrum De Fakkel

Wanawake Wavuvi Kenya

Woman Health & Family  Planning

WomanHealth Philippines

Women and Law in Southern Africa – Lesotho

Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Education Trust Malawi

Women Deliver

Women for Women’s Human Rights – New ways

Women Law and Development Association

Women Spaces Africa

Women Spaces Africa

Women’s Probono Initiative (WPI)

Women’s Energy Club of Ukraine” (WECU)

Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)

Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights Africa (WGNRR AFRICA)

Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group

Women’s Legal Centre

Women’s March Global

Women’s Rights Center NGO

World Health Organization

WREPA

YOSHAN

YouAct – European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights

Young Feminists

Young Men Engage For Equality 2030

Young Women For Change

Youth Action Movement

Youth Changers Kenya

Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights

Youth for Change Action Group

Youth Network for Community and Sustainable Development (YNCSD)

Youth Nexus

Youth Task Force

Youth For Change Action Group

YouthNet for Climate Justice

Zamara Foundation

ŽENY POMÁHAJÚ ŽENÁM

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