PHM-Exch> Solidarity with Latin American and Caribbean sexual & reproductive rights defenders

[Claudio Schuftan]

   From:    tanya at wgnrr.nl
   Campaigns Officer, Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights
(WGNRR), Quezon City, 1102, Philippines

www.wgnrr.org


**Please forward widely**

To all defenders of women's, peoples', social, economic, sexual and
reproductive rights & justice:

September 28th is commemorated in Latin America and the Caribbean to mark
the demand for the decriminalisation of abortion by social movements working
in defense of sexual and reproductive rights and justice in the region.
Activities are organised to raise awareness and apply pressure to
governments as well as non-state actors (such as the Catholic Church) to
respect women’s reproductive dignity. The Latin American and Caribbean
Women’s Health Network (Red de Salud), which is the coordinating network of
the September 28th Campaign, has compiled a list of demands from their
members that are addressed to the governments of the region, reflected in
the open letter below (and attached). The Women's Global Network for
Reproductive Rights  is inviting YOU to sign your organisation’s (and/or
individual) name to the attached letter supporting the demands of the Red de
Salud. The DEADLINE FOR SIGNING ON IS 9AM ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27TH (GMT/UTC
standard time).

On September 28th, Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights staff and
allies will be taking action by delivering this letter to selected embassies
of the region that are based in Manila, Philippines and in the Hague,
Netherlands: Brazil, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile,
Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. If your organisation is located in a
capital city where foreign embassies/ambassadors are based and you too are
willing to also deliver this letter of unified demands to embassies from the
Latin American region, please email tanya at wgnrr.org by  Monday, September
27th. If you are in Manila during September 28th, we would welcome your
participation in our delegation to the embassies. Email: tanya at wgnrr.org.
The final letter with all signatures compiled by 9am Sept. 28th will be
posted on WGNRR’s homepage (www.wgnrr.org). Photos, audio recordings,
written reports of these activities will be posted on our campaigns site
www.wgnrr.org/campaigns.

We look forward to adding your name to the list of those who support the
stand for decriminalising of abortion in Latin America, the Caribbean and
throughout the world.

For reproductive dignity,

WGNRR Campaigns team
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights/
Red Mundial de Mujeres por los Derechos Reproductivos/
Réseau Mondial de Femmes por les Droits Reproductifs
13 Dao Street, Project 3 Barangay Quirino 3-A
Quezon City, 1102 Philippines
T: + 63 (2) 913 6708 | F: + 63 (2) 911 8293
www.wgnrr.org


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
September 28, 2010

Open Letter To the Heads of all Latin American and the Caribbean States:

Today, as defenders of reproductive health, rights and justice gather across
the region to take coordinated actions on the Latin American and Caribbean
Day for the Decriminalisation of Abortion, we, the undersigned members,
allies and advocates of the Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights
(WGNRR) urgently call on you to heed the call for safe, legal abortion. We
fully support their efforts, and join with them to condemn actions by both
state and non-state actors silencing, criminalising and stigmatising those
who offer support for women wanting access to abortion, as well as all who
simply wish to exercise their human right to reproductive dignity.

In particular, we are concerned about the situation facing the defenders of
reproductive rights in countries where abortion is illegal and/or
systematically penalised including in Chile, Brazil, the Dominican Republic,
El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. We are alarmed by the
recent blocking of a hotline in Ecuador offering support to women on
reproductive and sexual health issues, and call on the Peruvian government
to not only fulfil recommendations of the United Nations Human Rights
Committee related to access to abortion, but also to take specific action on
the case of KL.
We hope and trust your government will work proactively with civil society
members to uphold binding commitments made at the United Nations under the
Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women,
the Beijing Platform for Action, the Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, the Convention Against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
In addition, we ask that you adhere to the principles contained in the UN
Declaration on Human Rights Defenders by recognising and protecting sexual
and reproductive rights defenders, ensuring they are equally able to
exercise the right to defend human rights and all the other rights.

To that end, we, the undersigned organisations and individuals from around
the world are committed in supporting this year’s demands of the September
28th Campaign to ensure respect for sexual and reproductive rights, and call
on your government to:

•       Repeal all laws criminalising, penalising and/or restricting women’s
access to abortion services.  Ensure women who do seek or offer these
services are not subjected to judicial persecution, including imprisonment,
or to harassment and degrading treatment by state authorities, institutions
and non-state actors;

•       Repeal all laws and policies that pose specific risks to sexual and
reproductive rights defenders, and those from marginalised populations who
do not want to be coerced into sterilisation or abstinence programmes;

•       Take effective action to sanction state officials and non-state
actors who harass sexual and reproductive rights defenders or curtail their
legitimate activities for the defence of human rights and fundamental
freedoms; and ensure allocation of adequate resources for the full
protection and promotion of the rights of women human rights defenders, and
in particular those who defend sexual and reproductive rights;

•       Implement policies that guarantee low cost, universal, quality
access to contraceptives and abortion services—including emergency
contraceptive procedures—and ensure young people have equal access to these
services, free from all forms of stigmatisation;

•       Ensure that religious institutions and groups do not influence the
state's judicial, policy and programming efforts in relation to reproductive
health and rights. The reproductive rights and dignity of all must be
guaranteed, not subject to constraints imposed by religious authorities.

We, the undersigned, await news of positive judicial and policy responses to
the efforts of the communities mobilising to end the criminalisation of
abortion, and for the fulfilment of reproductive dignity. We will be
monitoring the steps your administration is taking on these matters.  If you
have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the WGNRR campaigns
officer, Tanya Roberts-Davis, by email <tanya at wgnrr.org> or phone + 63 (2)
913 6708. We look forward to hearing your response to these concerns.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME/ORGANISATION]                        [YOUR CITY/TOWN]
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