Drawing on international human rights legislation and advocacy

Human rights legislation and documents have been used by NGOs, civil society organisations and marginalised groups to influence policy and challenge restrictive laws that prevent access to SRH services. In Nepal, women and reproductive rights organisations succeeded in introducing a law that decriminalises abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The bill was part of a set of amendments intended to redress discriminatory laws that exist against women. In Columbia, the NGO Profamilia successfully advocated for emergency contraception to be classified as a method for preventing pregnancy. It argued that denying women access to treatments that are the product of scientific advances is discriminatory and limits a women’s right to protect her health and life.

Human rights advocacy has also been used by civil society organisations to fight stigma and discriminatory practices which prevent people from seeking care or deny them access to non-judgemental information and services. While advocacy has occurred most visibly in international and national arenas, important activity has also taken place in local communities in response to particular issues such as stigma against women and girls seeking HIV and family planning services, or poor quality of local facilities (see ICW).

Making people aware of their rights increases the likelihood that they will use services, and also mobilises demand for improved access. For example, activists in Namibia informed a group of HIV positive women about PAP smear tests and breast examinations to check for cancer, and where to access these services. These women independently approached the Ministry of Health (MOH), and succeeded in compelling the MOH, in collaboration with private providers, to make available these services and improve the supply of information about cancer to local communities (Mallet, ICW).