As we reflect on all that we've accomplished together this year, we are reminded that our work is far from over in the fight to advance reproductive rights around the world. From El Salvador to Tanzania, to Slovakia and Colombia and beyond, we continue to leverage the power of law to protect reproductive rights for all.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Finally, Justice for Manuela

In a landmark ruling, 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 ruling by the Court—which is the highest judicial body for human rights in the Americas—came in Manuela v. El Salvador, a case brought by the Center and our partners seeking justice for Manuela. Manuela was a Salvadoran woman who, in 2008, was unjustly sentenced to 30 years in prison after suffering an obstetric emergency and died while imprisoned.

Africa

Protecting Abortion Access Under Kenya's Constitution

In 2010, Kenya enacted a new constitution which recognizes health care as a right and protects access to reproductive health care services, including abortion. But more than a decade later, abortion care services, including those allowed under the constitution, continue to exist as crimes under the penal code.

We filed a case on behalf of a clinician and his minor patient who were both arrested and prosecuted for providing and receiving post-abortion care—emergency care that is recognized as a right under the Kenya constitution.

Protecting the Rights of Schoolgirls in Tanzania

Education is the most direct pathway to a better life for girls living in poverty. But for years, the Tanzanian government has forced public school girls to undergo pregnancy testing and has permanently expelled them if pregnant. On November 25, Tanzania’s Minister of Education announced that the country will end this regressive policy.

We argued a case before the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child on November 22 representing six Tanzanian schoolgirls who were expelled for being pregnant under these discriminatory practices. We will continue to pursue our case until this change is secured into government policy or law.

Europe

Defeating Harmful Legislation in Slovakia

Together with our civil society partners, we have been working hard to tackle regression on reproductive rights across Europe—and we're achieving critical victories.

In November, the Slovak Parliament voted down new legislative proposals that sought to introduce additional barriers and restrictions on access to abortion in the country. As a result of intensive mobilization and advocacy efforts, particularly by our partners in Slovakia, the regressive and harmful legislative proposals were defeated in a close parliamentary vote.

With your unwavering support, our work continues. Thank you.