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ASTRA Events, 12-15 July 2007 :: 2007-07-18 00:00 |
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From 12th – 15th of July, ASTRA hosted several meetings and conference exploring sexual and reproductive health and rights in Central and Eastern Europe and ASTRA’s role in strategic advocacy and awareness raising.
On the 12th and 13th, ASTRA Advisory Board members, internal and external, met at the offices of the Secretariat. The board discussed its role within ASTRA activities, institutional and financial issues, development and fundraising, and potential new partnerships and alliances. The board was also briefed on current issues in the field. These issues were: the integration of SRHR and HIV and women’s rights and HIV, the relationship between SRHR and demography and current state responses and policies which may restrict SRHR, dealing with political and religious opposition and activist fatigue, and, finally, trafficking and forced prostitution.
The board had many in depth and productive conversations and strategy sessions which led to a series of concrete recommendations which were considered by ASTRA members at their meeting on the 15th. read more |
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Letter to Gender Institute :: 2007-07-11 00:00 |
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Astra Network sent an Open Letter with recommendations for board members of the European Institute for Gender Equality.
It is with great pleasure that the ASTRA Network for sexual and reproductive health and rights welcomes the establishment of the European Institute for Gender Equality as an independent expert agency for addressing gender imbalances and inequities in the European Union. As a vital aspect of women’s empowerment and gender equality, ASTRA supports women’s right to free and informed choice on and access to all forms of family planning as well as sexual and reproductive health care services, education, and information. ASTRA is a regional network of NGOs and individuals advocating in a collective voice for sexual and reproductive health and rights in Central and Eastern Europe. It is with this collective voice that we express our deep appreciation and support for the Institute and its activities, marking a critical step forward in the progressive realization of gender equality within the European Union as well as beyond its borders. We also raise our collective voice to advocate for the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Institute’s activities and scope of work. Having regard to international, regional, and national resolutions, declarations, and official documents dating back more than 50 years, ASTRA asks the Institute to call to mind the well-established link between gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and men. Gender discrimination and reproductive health are interdependent, interrelated, and mutually informative. Equality, participation, and development require sexual and reproductive freedom and health, while sexual and reproductive rights depend upon equal treatment, freedom from discrimination, and empowerment. These areas are deeply intertwined and critical to the realization of human rights for both women and men. read more |
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The initiative to totally ban abortion in Poland alarms GUE/NGL :: 2006-10-05 00:00 |
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The fifth largest European parliamentary group, Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), in the collaboration with the Parliamentary Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) endorsed the letter to the President, Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland concerning the proposal to introduce constitutional protection of the unborn life.read more |
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Polish Repro News: Strasbourg examines Tysiac’s case :: 2006-06-29 00:00 |
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Alicja Tysiac, a Polish woman, was denied her right to legal abortion, although the pregnancy jeopardized her health. Doctors refused to perform termination and by these means forced a women to give birth. This resulted in the considerable worsening of her health.
After exhausting national remedies, Alicja Tysiac filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg in 2003. The Federation for Women and Family Planning, in collaboration with Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, submitted the amicus curiae to the ECHR. The amicus curiae was also submitted by the Center for Reproductive Rights.
In February 2006 the Hearing of the Court took place. After the Hearing on the Tysiac’s case, the Court concluded that the application was admissible and decided to examine it further without prejudging the merits of the case. Although we still cannot predict the final Strasbourg’s opinion, it has been confirmed that the European Court of Human Rights requires that Tysiac’s case be investigated.
More information on http://www.interights.org/.read more |
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ASTRA Letter to Mr. Wolfgang Schüssel :: 2006-05-05 00:00 |
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In response to chancellor Schüssel's letter :
Mr. Wolfgang Schüssel
Federal Chancellor of Austria
Austrian Presidency of the European Union
14 April 2006
Dear Chancellor Schüssel,
I’m writing to you on behalf of ASTRA – Central and Eastern European Women’s Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. ASTRA consists of twenty six organizations in Europe and works to advance and promote sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in CEE region by bridging the gaps between women’s issues, health issues and human rights issues, as well as by monitoring states’ compliance with international commitments made in Cairo, Beijing and in Millennium Development Goals.
I am writing to you regarding the 2006 UNGASS Review of the implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS which will take place in New York on 31 May-2 June 2006.
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