INTRODUCTION

 

Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes.

It also includes sexual health, the purpose of which is the enhancement of life and personal relations.

Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.

Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health.

The human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality. (sexual rights)

Reproductive rights include the right to make decisions concerning reproduction free of discrimination, coercion and violence, as expressed in human rights documents.1

Reproductive and sexual health and rights were defined in the final document of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994 – the Cairo Programme of Action and reinstated in the final document of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995 – the Beijing Platform for Action. These consensus documents were adopted by more than 180 countries.

ICPD Programme of Action represents a big step for population and development policies. It brought: a shift from the previous emphasis on demography and population control to sustainable development and the recognition of the need for comprehensive reproductive health care and reproductive rights; strong language on the empowerment of women; reflection of different values and religious beliefs; and recognition of the needs of adolescents. The Programme of Action recognizes that population and development programmes should be based on reproductive health, including sexual health, and reproductive rights for women, men and children. It has been argued that family planning should be part of a much wider range of reproductive health services.

The Beijing Platform for Action reflects a new international commitment to the goals of equality, development and peace for all women everywhere.. It reaffirmed the commitment of Governments to eliminate discrimination against women and to remove all obstacles to equality. Governments also recognized the need to ensure a gender perspective in their policies and programmes. The Platform reaffirms that the human rights of women and the girl child are part of universal human rights.

The goals and objectives declared in Cairo and Beijing have been further reaffirmed and strengthened during the Special Sessions of the UN General Assembly in 1999 and in 2000, held to review and appraise the progress made since Cairo and Beijing, also known as "Cairo Plus Five” and “Beijing Plus Five” conferences. Final outcome documents of the Special Sessions call on the world's governments to take measures to speed implementation of the commitments made in Cairo and Beijing.

Both the Cairo Programme of Action and the Beijing Platform for Action stated clearly that reproductive and sexual rights are an integral part of human rights. They set forth objectives and actions to be taken by the states in order to achieve the highest standards of reproductive and sexual health and rights. For this reason the provisions of the Cairo and Beijing documents are quoted here extensively as the point of reference. Countries need to be held responsible for fulfilling their commitments.

The European Union has always played an important role in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights. It has demonstrated many times its endorsement of the rights and goals stated in the Cairo and Beijing Documents. The European Commission declared its commitment to the sexual and reproductive health and rights in the White Paper “A new impetus for European Youth” of 21 November 2001.2 Similarly, the support has been declared by the European Parliament, what is visible in several Parliament’s resolutions, including: resolution of 4 July 1996 on the implementation of the Cairo Programme of Action,3 of 9 March 1999 on the state of women’s health in the European Community,4 of 18 May 2000 on the follow-up to the Beijing Platform for Action,5 and finally – in the 3 July 2002 Resolution on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

 

 

REFERENCES:

1 UN “Cairo Programme of Action”, Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, UN Doc. A/CONF. 171/13, par. 7.2 – 7.3; UN “Beijing Platform for Action”, Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, UN Doc. A/CONF.177/20, par. 94 – 96.

2 (COM(2001)681).

3 OJ C 211, 22.7.1996, p. 31.

4 OJ C 175, 21.6.1999, p. 68.

5 OJ C 59, 23.2.2001, p. 258.