About Us

We work with partners around the world to advance reproductive justice by expanding access to abortion and contraception.

Ipas Sustainable Abortion Care

Our Work

The global movement for legal, accessible abortion is growing. Our staff and partners in countries as diverse as Bolivia, Malawi and India are working to ensure all people can access high-quality abortion care.

Where We Work

The global movement for legal, accessible abortion is growing. Our staff and partners in countries as diverse as Bolivia, Malawi and India are working to ensure all people can access high-quality abortion care.

Resources

Our materials are designed to help reproductive health advocates and professionals expand access to high-quality abortion care.

For health professionals

For advocates and decisionmakers

Training
resources

For humanitarian settings

Abortion VCAT resources

For researchers and program implementors

© FARZANA HOSSEN

October 5, 2018

UN council recognizes need for reproductive care in crisis settings

The UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has adopted a resolution acknowledging the need for safe abortion care for women and girls living in humanitarian settings around the world. The resolution, “Preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and human rights in humanitarian settings”—adopted by consensus on September 27, 2018—acknowledges that unsafe abortion violates “the right to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including sexual and reproductive health” and says that sexual and reproductive health services are integral to the realization of that right.

The resolution also recognizes that women and girls living in humanitarian settings face barriers—including gender-based discrimination, fear of reprisal and stigma—to accessing sexual and reproductive health services and acknowledges that forced pregnancy is a human rights violation—the first time this has been acknowledged in a HRC resolution.

“In light of recent assaults against the HRC and other human rights bodies,” says Gillian Kane, Ipas senior policy and advocacy advisor, “we applaud the council for boldly continuing to advance the human rights of women and girls, especially as it relates to accessing reproductive health services. We are grateful to all our partner organizations for their work advocating for the inclusion of strong human rights language.”

For more information, contact [email protected]