International migrants' right to sexual and reproductive health care

Abstract

International migration puts people's sexual and reproductive health (SRH), particularly those of women and children, at increased risk. However, many international migrants are denied access to timely and adequate SRH information, goods, and services by governments and/or service providers. This article reviews relevant international human rights treaties to argue that the barriers faced by migrants in accessing SRH care constitute violations of international law. It is well established that migrants are guaranteed access to SRH care as a part of their right to health, as well as the rights enjoyed by vulnerable populations. Increasingly, hindrance of migrants' access to SRH care is also recognized as a threat to their rights to life and equality with non‐migrants. The case of Toussaint v Canada illustrates how governments may be held accountable by human rights treaty monitoring bodies when they fail to respect and fulfill migrants' right to SRH care.

A gendered analysis of Palestinian refugee women’s experiences of migration from Syria to Türkiye

“…In this respect, our study differs from the previous literature in that it focuses on the intersection of social reproduction and migration. The existing literature is mainly concerned with transnational paid care work and the impact on those families, left behind international marriage migration and migration for egg/ placenta donations (Chen, 2022;Lan, 2008;Parreñas, 2001Parreñas, , 2012Truong, 1996). In the context of forced migration, social reproduction has also been studied in relation to the challenges faced by refugee women in accessing maternal care (Carling, 2007;Pickering and Cochrane, 2013), the breakdown of family relations, and how women continue to care for their family members who are left behind.…”

Considerations for Program Managers to Improve Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Displaced Populations

“…Displaced women and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, exploitation, and gender-based violence (GBV) during their journeys and in host communities. 7 However, the provision of high-quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services to these populations can be limited both within stable host countries 7 and in displaced settings. In addition, the challenges of conducting research among these populations have led to limited evidence on the impact of different interventions.…”