This oral statement was delivered in-person at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council Annual full-day discussion on the Human Rights of Women. Click here to watch the statement.
Distinguished Delegates,
I am making this statement on behalf of the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, ARROW.
Conflict, post-conflict, and humanitarian settings aggravate existing inequalities and dramatically increase gender-based violence, including sexual violence, denial of access to critical healthcare services especially sexual and reproductive health services. It thrives where legal protections collapse, and survivors face huge barriers, from trauma and stigma to lack of access to justice and essential health services.
The international human rights framework, including CEDAW’s General Recommendation 30 and the Women, Peace and Security agenda in various UN resolutions, provides a clear roadmap for addressing these issues. Yet, despite 25 years since UNSCR 1325, implementation remains uneven, and accountability for survivors is insufficient.
Violations of sexual and reproductive health and rights remain pervasive and largely unaddressed. Forced pregnancies, denial of safe abortion and contraception, and inadequate psychosocial support are all gender-based violations that compound harm in humanitarian crises and must be addressed as a matter of legal and moral urgency
To ensure this, we urge Member States and the Human Rights Council to:
- Ensure that gender-based violence, including violations of sexual and reproductive health and rights, are explicitly addressed within peace processes and transitional justice mechanisms.
- Ensure equitable access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including emergency contraception and safe abortion, in all conflict and humanitarian responses, in line with international human rights law.
Thank you.
