Save the Date! Parallel event taking place alongside the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council on the decriminalization of abortion.

Decriminalization of Abortion: A human rights imperative

When: September 17th 2013, 10am-12pm

Where: Room XXI, Palais des Nations

Parallel event entitled “Maternal Mortality: Implementation and Accountability: Guidance on Using a Human Rights Approach in the Context of the Post 2015 Agenda” taking place alongside the 24th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Maternal Mortality: Implementation and Accountability:
Guidance on Using a Human Rights Approach in the Context of the Post 2015 Agenda

11 September 2013, 13h00-15h00

Palais de Nation, Geneva, Room XXIV

Lunch will be served

Today, the SRI delivered a statement at the 2013 Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN. During the General Segment, under an agenda item on health, the SRI called for prioritization of sexual and reproductive rights and health and application of a human rights-based approach to policy formulation and programming. It drew the ECOSOC’s attention to guidance developed by various UN human rights bodies including treaty monitoring bodies, UN Special Procedures and UN agencies, among others.

The 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council ran from May 27 until June 14 2013. Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) partners participated in the session to ensure that sexual rights issues are included and advanced. SRI partners collectively advocated for the recognition and integration of issues related to sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality and human rights in the resolutions discussed throughout this session.
 

HRC23 Resolutions:

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’.

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).

During the 23rd Session of the Human Rights Council, the Sexual Rights Initiative is hosting a side-event entitled “Advancing sexual and reproductive rights and health in the Post-2015 development agenda: The role of the Human Rights Council.” SRI partner ACTION CANADA for Population and Development (ACPD)‘s Executive Director (speaking as a member of the High-Level Task Force for ICPD) will join panelists from the World YWCA, the Government of Uruguay and UNFPA.

On March 8th, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) held its High-Level Panel on Human Rights Mainstreaming, this year choosing to focus it on the post-2015 development framework.

During that debate, Ethiopia delivered on behalf of a select cross-regional group of 24 States a joint statement to the Council stressing the importance of SRHR to the post-2015 framework.

SRI collaborates with national organizations and activists in preparation for UPR19

The 13th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was held at the Human Rights Council from May 21-June 4 2012. This was the first UPR session of the second cycle whereby countries will be reviewed by their peers on their entire human rights record for the second time.

SRI statement on the follow up and implementation of the Vienna Programme of Action

Delivered by Fernando D’Elio, Akahata (Argentina)

Thank you Madam President

Agenda Item 6 UPR General Debate

Joint statement of SRI & COC Netherlands

Statement delivered by Meghan Doherty, ACPD (Canada)

Thank you Madam President

We welcome the Council’s attention to women’s human rights in the UPR process, and trust that this attention will continue throughout the second cycle.

However, we urge States to be more specific in their recommendations about the laws and policies that serve to systematically discriminate against women, marginalize women and place our lives, health and wellbeing at risk.

SRI statement on the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and Practice’s first report to the Human Rights Council

Delivered by Dalia Abd El–Hameed, EIPR (Egypt)

Thank you Madam President

We would like to use this opportunity to welcome the report of the working group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and practice.

Joint Statement of SRI and the International Lesbian and Gay Association during the panel discussion on women’s human rights defenders

Delivered by Fikile Vilakazi, Coalition of African Lesbians (South Africa)

Joint statement of the SRI and the International Lesbian and Gay Association during the interactive dialogue with Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences

Delivered by Karolina Więckiecz, Federation for Women and Family Planning (Poland)

Madam President,

Joint Statement of SRI and COC Netherlands during the panel discussion on women’s human rights

Delivered by Meghan Doherty, ACPD (Canada)

Thank you Madam President

We welcome this panel’s focus on reparations for women subjected to violence and the recognition that, given the disparate and differentiated impact that violence has on women, especially marginalized women, including sexually marginalized women, there is a need for specific measures of redress in order to meet their specific needs and priorities.

SRI statement during interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children

Delivered by Debolina Dutta, CREA (India)

Thank you Madame President,