A year after Poland's discredited Constitutional Tribunal ruled to ban abortion completely, the Center and its partners are fighting back against this dangerous move to roll back reproductive rights.

Keep reading to learn more about our ongoing work in Poland, along with celebratory updates out of the Philippines, where child marriage has at long last been ruled a crime, as well as the Sindh region of Pakistan, where the Center's public interest litigation has helped obstetric fistula survivors access critical rehabilitative care.

Europe

The Center and Partners File Third-Party Submissions in Cases Challenging Poland's Near Total Abortion Ban

Poland has long had one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe. It is one of only two European Union member states that has not legalized abortion on request or broad social grounds. One year ago, a near total abortion ban took effect in Poland, endangering lives and causing grave harm to those seeking abortion care. Since then at least three women have died as a result of this extreme law. Together with eight other international human rights organizations, the Center has filed third-party interventions to the European Court of Human Rights in three groups of cases challenging Poland's law. These submissions highlight critical human rights aspects of restrictive abortion laws and their harmful impact.

Asia

Victory for Children's Rights: Philippines Criminalizes Child Marriage

For over a decade, the Center has advocated for stronger laws in the Philippines that protect and respect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of children. Child marriage can have disastrous consequences, limiting educational opportunities, driving poverty and increasing the likelihood of sexual violence and diseases. In December 2021, a new bill was signed into law making child marriage a public crime. We proudly supported the development of this bill which seeks to end child marriage and create an enabling social environment where women and girls can thrive.

Building Pathways to Recovery: Pakistan Implements Obstetric Fistula Treatment Centers

Obstetric fistula is a painful and dangerous childbirth injury that affects millions of people around the world. Survivors are often shamed and segregated from society. In 2015, the Center filed the first case in Pakistan seeking recognition of the widespread incidence of fistula. The petition challenged the government's failure to act on the prevention of the condition and provide free and timely treatment. On December 15, 2021, the Sindh government reported making significant progress towards staffing government hospitals with gynecologists and establishing free fistula repair centers to achieve these goals.

"...Child marriage is a fundamental human rights violation harming the health and safety of girls and boys. This new law represents a significant first step in safeguarding the rights of children in the Philippines."

—Jihan Jacob, Senior Legal Adviser for Asia at the Center for Reproductive Rights