The Center for Reproductive Rights issues a call for universal access to contraception and family planning

Urging full access to contraceptive and family planning services, the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) praised the governments of Argentina, Denmark, Ethiopia and Morocco for their leadership on this issue within the United Nations Human Rights Council. These Member States were praised for their leadership among a group of more than 60 states to ensure universal access to contraceptives and family planning in order to improve women’s health and advance gender equality.

“We commend Argentina, Denmark, Ethiopia, and Morocco for their leadership in bringing attention to these major problems in access to contraception and family planning globally. We hope the Human Rights Council will continue to take affirmative steps to acknowledge access to contraceptives as fundamental to guaranteeing women’s equality and autonomy”, said Rebecca Brown, director for Global Advocacy at the Center for Reproductive Rights.

“Access to contraception is vital to women’s ability to participate fully and equally in their communities, their society, and our world. But today approximately 222 million women in developing nations who want to avoid or delay pregnancy still cannot obtain modern contraception. This has lifelong impacts on women and girls’ education, employment, health and ability to participate as equal members of society”, she affirmed.

The Center for Reproductive Rights works across the globe to document the human rights violations that result from women’s lack of access to contraception, and promotes the use of the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental human right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. More info at http://reproductiverights.org