IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights

Abstract

For most of human existence and in most societies, women have been considered to be property and subject to men. Throughout history, with such notable exceptions as Queen Boadicea, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Elizabeth I of England, and Catherine the Great of Russia, women had little or no power until early in the 20th century when the women's suffrage movement was successful in the United States and in some European countries. As women have gained political rights, groups of women have sought sexual and reproductive rights, as exemplified by the feminist movement of the past few decades in the United States. Although marked strides toward achievement of reproductive choice have been taken in high-income countries, there remain major strictures to reproductive freedom for women in low-income countries. This area, which is replete with ethical and moral issues, has been addressed by the International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF), which has worked to improve the sexual and reproductive health of women throughout the world. The IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights is a paradigm for both women's rights and human rights. Karen Newman is policy adviser with the IPPF and has codrafted the IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights together with two lawyers. She has held several positions within the IPPF, including medical researcher, press officer, and programme adviser in Europe, where she had responsibility for working with new family planning associations (FPAs) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. At present, she is working to increase the capacity of IPPF member FPAs to undertake human rights-based advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights. Judith F. Helzner is director of Sexual and Reproductive Health at International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region, Inc., where she has worked since 1987. She holds M.A. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in International Relations and Demography. Her previous employment includes the Pathfinder Fund and the International Women's Health Coalition.

The Other Side: How does Informed Choice Affect Induced Abortions among Reproductive-Age Immigrant Women in China—A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The former indicates that as China’s 35-year-old one-child policy is abolished to allow the couples to have a second child, women in China preferred to decide the number and spacing of their children freely and responsibly. Also, they have the freedom to choose and use a safe and acceptable protection method so as to avoid the unplanned pregnancy [32]. This is the centralized reflection of reproductive women’s rights in China with regard to informed choice.…”

Modern kontraseptif yöntemler ve cinsel sağlık

“…A sexually healthy relationship is built on shared values and has five characteristics: These are; accommodating, nonexploitative, honest, seeking mutual pleasure, protection against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (including AIDS) (Bozdemir & Özcan, 2011). Deciding whether and when all persons will have children according to the Declaration of Reproductive and Sexual Rights of the International Federation of Family Planning; have the right to have equal access to reliable and effective family planning methods and to be informed (Newman & Helzner, 1999). In Turkey, as in the rest of the world, the definition of family planning is based on the ability of individuals to have as many children as they want, whenever they want, according to their own means and wishes.…”

Ethics, Ideology, and Reproductive Health Policy in the United States

“…Also in 1995, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) published a new charter on sexual and reproductive rights. This summarized 12 human rights, drawn from international instruments, that are pertinent to sexual and reproductive health (Newman and Helzner 1999).…”