Team,

Today, we hope you'll join us in celebrating International Human Rights Day! As the only global legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting reproductive rights, we want to recognize the monumental gains you have helped us make in securing reproductive rights as human rights in countries around the world.

In a landmark ruling last week, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has, for the first time, established standards throughout the region to help protect women seeking reproductive health care, including abortion. The case sought justice for Manuela, a Salvadoran woman who, in 2008, was unjustly sentenced to 30 years in prison after suffering an obstetric emergency.

Our ability to fight on behalf of people everywhere relies on the partnership of people like you. When you make a gift to the Center for Reproductive Rights today, in honor of International Human Rights Day, a longtime Center supporter will now match your contribution THREE TO ONE, up to $150,000! That means that your gift today will have 4X the impact in the fight to protect reproductive rights as human rights.

Over 50 countries have liberalized their abortion laws over the past 25 years, protecting the rights of people across the globe to make their own decisions about whether or when to continue a pregnancy. While some of these reforms have been incremental, many have been truly transformative, overturning absolute bans on abortion in favor of protecting reproductive autonomy.

But as we reflect on this incredible progress, we must not forget that the health and rights of millions of people are still at risk and our opponents aren't slowing down.

Earlier this year, the Slovakian legislature considered—and ultimately rejected—a bill that would have required providers to read misleading language to patients seeking abortion services, increase the mandatory waiting period to 96 hours, and implement mandatory reporting to the government about patients seeking abortion.

The Center joined more than 100 organizations in signing a letter to engage the Slovakian Parliament on the harms this legislation would have caused, explaining that it would obstruct access to safe abortion care and violate Slovakia's international human rights obligations.

We will not rest until everyone, no matter where they live, has access to the vital reproductive care that they need. Will you make a generous contribution of $35 or more today? Don't forget it will go 4X as far to support our work around the world.

Sincerely,

Enid Muthoni Ndiga
Senior Vice President, Global Legal Program