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IPPF CHARTER ON
SEXUAL AND
REPRODUCTIVE
RIGHTS
Summary of the
Charter:
The IPPF Charter
on Sexual and
Reproductive
Rights is based
on twelve
rights, which
are grounded in
core
international
human rights
instruments, and
additional
rights that IPPF
believes are
implied by them.
It represents
IPPF's response
to the challenge
of applying
internationally
agreed human
rights language
to sexual and
reproductive
health and
rights issues.
By drawing on
relevant
extracts from
international
human rights
treaties, the
Charter
demonstrates the
legitimacy of
sexual and
reproductive
rights as key
human rights
issues. Since
these treaties
have the status
of international
law, states that
have ratified
them have
entered into
legally binding
obligations to
honour them
within the
legislative
frameworks of
their own
countries. The
Charter has been
designed as a
tool to help
NGOs to hold
governments
accountable for
promises they
have made in
upholding human
rights in
general, and
sexual and
reproductive
rights in
particular.
The twelve basic
human rights,
with examples of
their relevance
to sexual and
reproductive
rights work,
appear below
The Right to
Life
The
Charter states
that the right
to life applies
to, and should
be invoked to
protect, women
whose lives are
currently
endangered by
pregnancy.
The Right to
Liberty and
Security of the
Person
The Charter
states that the
right to liberty
and security of
the person
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, women
currently at
risk from
genital
mutilation, or
subject to
forced
pregnancy,
sterilization or
abortion.
The Right to
Equality and to
be Free from all
Forms of
Discrimination
The Charter
states that the
right to
equality and to
be free from all
forms of
discrimination
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, the
right of all
people,
regardless of
race, colour,
sex, sexual
orientation,
marital status,
family position,
age, language,
religion,
political or
other opinion,
national or
social origin,
property, birth
or other status,
to equal access
to information,
education and
services related
to development,
and to sexual
and reproductive
health.
The Right to
Privacy
The Charter
states that the
right to privacy
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, the
right of all
clients of
sexual and
reproductive
health care
information,
education and
services to a
degree of
privacy, and to
confidentiality
with regard to
personal
information
given to service
providers.
The Right to
Freedom of
Thought
The Charter
states that the
right to freedom
of thought
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, the
right of all
persons to
access to
education and
information
related to their
sexual and
reproductive
health free from
restrictions on
grounds of
thought,
conscience and
religion.
The Right to
Information and
Education
The Charter
states that the
right to
information and
education
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, the
right of all
persons to
access full
information on
the benefits,
risks and
effectiveness of
all methods of
fertility
regulation, in
order that any
decisions they
take on such
matters are made
with full, free
and informed
consent.
The Right to
Choose Whether
or Not to Marry
and to Found and
Plan a Family
The Charter
states that the
right to choose
whether or not
to marry and to
found a family
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, all
persons against
any marriage
entered into
without the
full, free and
informed consent
of both partners
The Right to
Decide Whether
or When to Have
Children
The Charter
states that the
right to decide
whether or when
to have children
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, the
right of all
persons to
reproductive
health care
services that
offer the widest
possible range
of safe,
effective and
acceptable
methods of
fertility
regulation, and
are accessible,
affordable,
acceptable and
convenient to
all users.
The Right to
Health Care and
Health
Protection
The Charter
states that the
right to health
care applies to,
and should be
invoked to
protect, the
right of all
persons to the
highest possible
quality of
health care, and
the right to be
free from
traditional
practices that
are harmful to
health.
The Right to the
Benefits of
Scientific
Progress
The Charter
states that the
right to the
benefits of
scientific
progress applies
to, and should
be invoked to
protect, the
right of all
persons to
access to
available
reproductive
health care
technology which
independent
studies have
shown to have an
acceptable
risk/benefit
profile, and
where to
withhold such
technology would
have harmful
effects on
health and
well-being.
The Right to
Freedom of
Assembly and
Political
Participation
The Charter
states that the
right of freedom
of assembly and
political
participation
applies to, and
should be
invoked to
protect, the
right to form an
association that
aims to promote
sexual and
reproductive
health and
rights.
The Right to be
Free from
Torture and Ill
Treatment
The Charter
states that the
right to be free
from torture and
inhuman or
degrading
treatment
applies to and
should be
invoked to
protect
children, women
and men from all
forms of sexual
violence,
exploitation and
abuse.
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