Leila Hessini, Coalition of Organizations working on Sexual and Reproductive Rights
E-mail: HessiniL@ipas.org
Response to the
Secretary General’s report "In Larger Freedom: Towards Security,
Development and Human Rights for All"
By Civil Society Organizations in support of
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
April 29, 2005
As members of the global civil society community, we welcome the opportunity to
comment on the Secretary-General’s report “In Larger Freedom: Towards Security,
Development and Human Rights for All.” Our remarks will focus on an issue that is
central to the topics of development, security, peace and human rights that are
discussed in this report: the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, men
and children around the world.
We commend the Secretary General for undertaking a series of consultations with
experts and members of civil society in the preparation of this report. We appreciate
that this report upholds the recommendation of the Millennium Project that ensuring
access to sexual and reproductive health services is essential for gender equality. We
also welcome the acknowledgement that investments need to be made in
strengthening health systems in order to ensure that all people have access to basic
health services, including sexual and reproductive health services. In addition to
contributing to gender equality, investments in sexual and reproductive health
services and rights are vital for fulfilling other MDGs, particularly those addressing
maternal health, child health, education, HIV/AIDS, and poverty.
During the regional and international meetings on the ten-year review of the ICPD
PoA, a global consensus emerged that full implementation of the ICPD PoA,
particularly in the areas of sexual and reproductive health, is a prerequisite for
achieving the MDGs. In addition, the 2005 Commission on Population and
Development, “emphasized the importance of integrating the goal of universal access
to reproductive health by 2015 set at the International Conference on Population
and Development into strategies to attain the internationally agreed development
goals, including those related to the Millennium Declaration.” Moreover the
Millennium Project has cited expanding access to sexual and reproductive health
information and services as a Quick Win that would benefit millions of individuals
around the world and contribute to the achievement of the MDGs.
When world leaders gather in September 2005 to advance the cause of freedom –
including freedom from want, freedom from fear and freedom to live in dignity – we
ask that governments be held accountable to those women, men and children who are
unable to practice freedom because their sexual and reproductive rights are not
fulfilled or respected. As the Secretary-General so aptly asked in his February 28,
2005 statement to the Commission on the Status of Women “How can we achieve real
equality when half a million women die of pregnancy-related causes every year—
causes that are entirely preventable?” We urge that governments reaffirm and act on
their commitments to respecting and implementing principles of women’s human
rights and gender equality that are so central to sexual and reproductive health and
rights.
We furthermore strongly recommend that the political declaration resulting from
the September Millennium Summit:
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Endorse the recommendations on sexual and reproductive health and rights
made by the UN Millennium Project and its Task Forces, particularly those
on Maternal and Child Health and Gender Equality.
Support the seven strategic priorities generated by the Millennium Project
Task Force on Gender Equality including: “(The) guarantee of sexual and
reproductive health and rights.”
Emphasize the importance of integrating the goal of universal access to
reproductive health by 2015 set at the International Conference on
Population and Development into strategies to attain the internationally
agreed development goals, including those related to the Millennium
Declaration
With world leaders gathering in September 2005 to review progress in achieving the
MDGs, there is the opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to sexual and
reproductive health and rights.
Statement from:
Catholics for a Free Choice
Center for Reproductive Rights, USA
CHOICE, for Youth and Sexuality, Netherlands
Commonwealth Medical Trust
Development Alternatives for Women in a New Era (DAWN)
Equilibres & Populations, France
Family Care International
Interact Worldwide
International Foundation for Population and Development (IFPD), Switzerland
International Planned Parenthood Federation, United Kingdom
International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC)
Ipas, on behalf of its offices and programs in 13 countries of the Americas, Europe,
Latin America, Africa and Asia
Marie Stopes International
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.
Population Action International
sensoa, Belgium
The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU)
Women for Women's Human Rights (WWHR) - NEW WAYS, Turkey
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR)
World Population Foundation
YouAct, European Youth Network for Reproductive Health and Rights, Netherlands
The Youth Coalition