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FW: [bridgeupdate] BRIDGE Update: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the post-2015 development framework Issue No. 106, September 2014

BRIDGE Update: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the post-2015 development framework
Issue No. 106, September 2014

http://www.bridge.ids.ac.uk/

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In this issue:

  • New UK GAD Network Briefing paper on gender equality and the post-2015 development framework
  • New BRIDGE Policy Brief for Social Movement Leaders
  • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the post-2015 development framework - reflections and resources



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News

New UK GAD Network Briefing paper on gender equality and the post-2015 development framework

The UK Gender and Development Network produced a briefing paper aiming to reflect on the current debate on gender equality and the post-2015 framework, and to comment on the final outcome document of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals. The briefing paper outlines some key points and makes specific recommendations about the OWG’s final outcome document, noting where different wording should be added to strengthen commitment to women’s rights and gender equality.

New BRIDGE Policy Brief for Social Movement Leaders

How can social movements become more gender-just? Many seemingly progressive social movements do not consider gender equality fundamental to achieving social justice. They have yet to make it a consistent priority in either their internal policies or their external change strategies. In some cases there is strong ideological resistance; in most cases, experience shows that gender justice is recognised as important but hasn’t received the attention or priority it deserves. This Policy Brief is intended to support leaders in deepening their efforts to bring gender justice to their movements. The brief outlines political, cultural and learning strategies that can help movements to advance their gender awareness and proactive approach towards promoting women’s full participation and leadership. By highlighting examples from Shack/Slum Dwellers International, Amnesty International, the CLOC-Via Campesina movement, the National Coordinating Committee of Indigenous Women and others, the brief illustrates that only by integrating gender justice, movements are able to fully achieve social justice in such areas as human rights, housing, the environment and secure livelihoods.
 
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and the post-2015 development framework - resources and reflections

About 800 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.
 
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are intrinsic human rights. They encompass the right to sexual and reproductive health, respect for bodily integrity, the right to choose one’s partner and the right to decide on sexual relations and having children, including contraception and abortion. SRHR are directly related to girls’ education, future earnings and economic participation; they are critical for the fulfilment of human rights related to sex, reproduction, family life, and economic and social participation. When women and girls do not have full access to SRHR, their ability to contribute economically, socially and politically to their communities is severely constrained.

SRHR should be prioritised and addressed comprehensively in all post-2015 development framework negotiations, and not be limited to access to family planning.
 
Accelerating progress beyond 2015 will require renewed commitment to investing in women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a focus on universal access to quality, integrated sexual and reproductive health information, education and services throughout the life cycle.
 
This update focuses on why sexual and reproductive health and rights are crucial in the development scenario and how they have been addressed and negotiated in the post-2015 development framework discussions. It also wants to explore how a wide range of organisations and networks have campaigned around the issues and what policy recommendations they put forward to ensure that SRHR are addressed comprehensively by policy-makers so that gender justice can be attained.

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BRIDGE update: resources on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), with a special focus on the post-2015 agenda
The following is just a selection of key resources related to SRHR featured in the BRIDGE global resources database.  To find many others (including some French and Spanish resources) please visit the BRIDGE website at http://www.bridge.ids.ac.uk/go/global-resources and type ‘SRHR’ into the search field. 

Moving toward sexual and reproductive justice: a transnational and multigenerational feminist remix

This online book chapter maps the journey of the transnational feminist sexual health and reproductive rights (SRHR) movement over the last twenty years, focusing on its engagement in United Nations processes. It includes Cairo+20 discussions and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) regional reviews.

The Influences of Religious Fundamentalism on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Women: Challenges for the Post-2015 Development Agenda

This brief provides an overview of the challenges religious fundamentalism poses to achieving SRHR for marginalised groups, particularly women, in order to inform the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) beyond 2014 review and post-2015 development processes.
 
Sexual and reproductive health and rights in the post-2015 agenda: taking their rightful place

The purpose of this brief is to examine the role and importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) holistically in the development scenario within the context of their linkages to other fundamental human rights as well as with the global poverty and hunger eradication objective; and put forward essential recommendations for them to be given their rightful place in the post-2015 agenda.
 
Youth Strategize For The Post 2015 Development Agenda

SRHR is an important topic for young people, as policies and legal barriers prevent from protecting themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies which can have severe consequences for their education and employment opportunities. This article highlights key points on strategizing for the post-2015 development process addressed during a meeting by the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights (YCSRR) held in Hong Kong in June 2014.
 
Beyond ICPD and MDGs: NGOs strategising for sexual and reproductive health and rights in Asia-Pacific

This ARROW (a regional non-profit women’s NGO based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) webpage contains links to strategic documents and meeting reports on sexual and reproductive rights in the Asia-Pacific region - looking beyond the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), focusing on NGO participation.

Repoliticizing sexual and reproductive health and rights: Report of a global meeting

The meeting was held as a result of concerns that the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) agenda has become more conservative. Participants included academics,
activists, civil society representatives, donors and policymakers working on SRHR. This report highlights the main messages that came out of the meeting.
 
Latin American and Caribbean Report: LACWHN looks at six Latin America and Caribbean countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic – Cairo +20


This monitoring study looks at six countries in the region-Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and Mexico. It analyses the Latin America and the Caribbean regional context and the realisation of sexual and reproductive health and rights within this context. It captures aspects of diversity, violation of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women, as well as persons of diverse sexual orientation and gender identities, through the presentation of emblematic cases.
 
Reproductive Rights: a tool for monitoring state obligations

This tool provides a means to monitor the implementation of specific State obligations in the field of reproductive rights through outlining the obligations and duties under international and regional human rights law. These incorporate a range of reproductive rights issues including freedom from discrimination, contraceptive information and services, safe pregnancy and childbirth, abortion and post-abortion care, comprehensive sexuality education, freedom from violence against women, and HIV/AIDS.

This resource is featured on another website:

Manifiesto Político del XIII Encuentro Feminista Latinoamericano y del Caribe (EFLAC): 'Por la liberación de nuestros cuerpos'

This manifesto was produced for the 13th Latin American and Caribbean Feminist Encounter in 2014. It articulates the ways in which women’s bodies are impacted by the social and political conditions and explores Latin American feminist perspectives.

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Past issues of the update are available at:
http://www.bridge.ids.ac.uk/go/email-updates-and-publications-by-post/bridge-updates

 

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