This oral statement was broadcasted at the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council Annual Discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the HRC and that of its mechanisms. Watch the video statement here.
Good morning Chairperson, I am Anjali Shenoi from the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women making this statement on behalf of ARROW and the Safe Abortion Advocacy Initiative – Global South Engagement (SAIGE)
The impact of access to safe abortion on gender equality is considerable.:
The physical and psychological well being, financial solvency and many other basic freedoms, for women and other pregnant persons, hinges on their ability to control their own reproductive health and needs including the access to safe and decriminalized abortions. The lack of, denial to and restrictive access to safe abortion is a direct outcome and reflection of gender inequalities present in societies, that originate from gendered power dynamics, and is further impacted by the intersections of various marginalisations.
Legislation and policy also play a pivotal role in determining access to safe abortion and achieving gender equality. Human Rights Committees have also noted that criminalisation and restrictive policies on abortion contravene human rights law and make a case for discrimination against women and pregnant persons by infringing on their dignity and autonomy by severely restricting decision-making in respect to their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
As a part of the unstoppable movement, working on abortion solidarity, we commemorate International Safe Abortion day, and call on the Human Rights Council to empower and compel all States to mainstream gender and reproductive justice in all their policies and laws, decriminalise abortions; tackle stigma and opposition against abortion; take into consideration the voices of activists, safe abortion providers, and human rights defenders; encourage and empower gender parity and representation within human rights bodies and strengthen international accountability mechanisms and measures in this respect.
