Timeline of Legal Milestones on Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Latin America

Internacional and regional milestones

National milestones

2024

2023

2022

Regional

IV Agreed Resolution of the CRPD

IV Meeting of the Regional Conference on Population and Development

This document reinforces the Montevideo Consensus and jointly agrees on the recognition of all types of families.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Advisory Opinion No. 29

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

In this AO on the situation of persons deprived of their liberty, the Court establishes a specific section on "The need to adopt special measures to give effect to the rights of pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women or primary caregivers deprived of their freedom", and there it recognizes and defines obstetric violence.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General Recommendation No. 39

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

Johis Alarcón

This General Recommendation considers the voices of Indigenous women and girls as protagonists and leaders within and outside their communities. It identifies and addresses different forms of intersectional discrimination faced by Indigenous women and girls, and their key role as leaders, bearers of knowledge and conveyors of culture within their villages, communities, families and society as a whole. (Paragraph 2).

Complete Milestone
Regional

AG/RES. 2991 (LII-O/22)

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

The chapter on LGTBI rights focuses on the condemnation of violence motivated by sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics, urges States to take measures and establishes lines of action for OAS bodies.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Buenos Aires Commitment

XV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

The XV RWC held its meeting under the theme "Towards caring societies", and adopted the Buenos Aires Commitment, a robust and comprehensive document that represents a roadmap for the States. Under this framework, commitments and agreements were made regarding SRHR, the rights of persons with disabilities, among others.

Complete Milestone
El Salvador

Ruling 33-2016-195-2016

Jess Insfrán/Agencia Presentes

The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of El Salvador ruled that the Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and gave the legislature one year to develop a mechanism by which anyone can change their name to be compatible with their gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling C-055-22

Victoria Holguin

In this ruling, the Court established the legality of voluntary abortion up to 24 weeks of gestation, maintaining the system of grounds for cases that exceed that limit.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Action of unconstitutionality 73/2021

Victoria Holguin

The Supreme Court invalidated a provision of the Civil Code of Puebla that required a person to be 18 years old in order to request a new birth certificate, for violating the right to gender identity of trans children and adolescents.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-033

Victoria Holguin

In this decision the Court recognizes the category of "non-binarie" for the registration of persons.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Law No. 2,244: which recognizes the rights of women during pregnancy, labor, childbirth and postpartum and establishes other provisions or ""Law of Dignified, Respected and Humanized Childbirth"".

Tali Elbert, "Parir"

The purpose of this law is to recognize and guarantee the rights of women during pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum and gestational and perinatal mourning with freedom of decision, conscience and respect; as well as to recognize and guarantee the rights of newborns.

Complete Milestone

2021

Regional

Manuela and family v. El Salvador

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

On November 2, 2021, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a judgment declaring the Republic of El Salvador internationally responsible for the violation of the rights: (i) to personal liberty and to the presumption of innocence to the detriment of Manuela; (ii) to the defense, to be tried by an impartial tribunal, to the presumption of innocence, the duty to state reasons, the obligation not to apply legislation in a discriminatory manner, equality before the law, the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and the obligation to ensure that the purpose of the custodial sentence is the reform and social readaptation of convicted persons, to the detriment of Manuela; iii) to life, personal integrity, privacy, equality before the law, health and equality before the law, to the detriment of Manuela, and iv) to personal integrity to the detriment of Manuela's mother, father, eldest son and youngest son, in relation to the obligations to respect and guarantee the rights and the duty to adopt domestic law provisions, to the detriment of Manuela.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Vicky Hernández v. Honduras

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

On March 26, 2021, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a judgment declaring that the State of Honduras was responsible for the violation of the right to life and personal integrity (Articles 4 and 5 of the American Convention), to the detriment of Vicky Hernández, a transgender woman, sex worker and defender of the rights of transgender women. The responsibility of the State was established since there are several indications of the participation of State agents in the events that led to her death, which occurred in San Pedro Sula on June 28, 2009. Upon finding that the violence against Vicky Hernandez was due to her gender expression or identity, the Court concluded that the State was responsible for violating the rights to recognition as a person before the law, to personal liberty, to privacy, to freedom of expression, and to a name (Articles 3, 7, 11, 13, and 18 of the American Convention), and that it failed to comply with the obligation established in Article 7.a of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women to the detriment of Vicky Hernandez.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Resolution AG/RES. 2976 (LI-O/21)

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

The chapter on LGTBI rights focuses on the condemnation of violence motivated by sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics, urges States to take measures and establishes lines of action for OAS bodies.

Complete Milestone
Chile

Law No. 21.400: Amends various legal bodies to regulate, on equal terms, marriage between persons of the same sex.

This law amends several legal bodies to regulate, on equal terms, marriage between persons of the same sex. It includes the concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Supreme Court of Mexico Unconstitutionality Action 148/2017

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina."

The Supreme Court's decision unanimously invalidates the section of Coahuila's Penal Code that punishes consensual abortion with one to three years in prison. It also requires local and federal judges to follow the court's reasoning when deciding abortion-related cases. In this ruling, the Supreme Court recognized for the first time the right of women and pregnant persons to have an abortion without the criminal consequences.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Supreme Court of Mexico -Unconstitutionality Action 106/2018 and its cumulative 107/2018.

The Court considered that it is unconstitutional to grant the status of person to the embryo or fetus, since in this way decisions are being made that go against reproductive autonomy. Consequently, it decided to invalidate part of article 4° Bis A, section I, of the Political Constitution of the State of Sinaloa, which established the protection of the right to life "from the moment an individual is conceived, is under the protection of the corresponding law, until his or her death".

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Amparo in review 438/2020

In this ruling, the Supreme Court determined the unconstitutionality of the ninety-day deadline to perform a voluntary termination of pregnancy in the case of rape, a limitation established in Article 181 of the Penal Code of the state of Chiapas.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Unconstitutionality Action 54/2018

The Court determined that Article 10 Bis of the General Health Law, which broadly established the right to conscientious objection, did not guarantee care to all persons, and, that discriminatory acts could be conducted by virtue of the exercise of this right.

Complete Milestone

2020

Regional

Santiago Consensus

XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

In this agreement, the States committed to promote the full exercise of sexual and reproductive rights, including explicitly mentioning safe and quality abortion services in cases where abortion is legal or decriminalized in national legislation.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Thematic Report on Trans and GenderDiverse Persons and Their Economic, Social, Cultural, and Environmental Rights

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

M.A.f.I.A

In this thematic report, the IACHR addresses, among other issues, the right to recognition of gender identity, as well as the human rights violations trans and gender-diverse persons suffer, among other reasons, as a result of the failure to guarantee and protect this right.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General Comment No. 25

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Mauricio Centurión

In this GC, the Committee focuses on the Covenant right of everyone to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications (art. 15, para. 1 (b)), since this is the right most frequently invoked in relation to science. However, the purpose of this general comment is not limited to that right, but is also to elaborate on the relationship between science and economic, social and cultural rights in a broader sense. (Para. 3).

Complete Milestone
Regional

Guzmán Albarracín et al v. Ecuador

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

It is a landmark ruling because it establishes for the first time standards to prevent girls and adolescents from suffering sexual violence in educational settings throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Court points out that the right to sexual and reproductive education is an integral part of the right to education. It must be comprehensive, non-discriminatory, evidence-based, scientifically rigorous and age-appropriate. It must be suitable to enable girls and boys to have an adequate understanding of the implications of sexual and affective relationships, particularly in relation to consent to such relationships and the exercise of their sexual and reproductive rights.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Beatriz et al v. El Salvador

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

The case refers to the international responsibility of the State for the violations of the rights of Beatriz and her family due to the absolute prohibition of voluntary termination of pregnancy, which prevented her from having access to a legal, early and timely termination of pregnancy, in a situation of serious risk to life, health and integrity, and non-viability of the fetus with extrauterine life. In its merits report, the Commission established that the affectations and risks to the rights to life, health, personal integrity and private life of Beatriz reached maximum severity, as a consequence of the lack of access to the interruption of the pregnancy as a consequence, the degree of achievement of the intended purpose, that is, the protection of the life of the fetus was null due to its condition of anencephaly.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Azul Rojas Marín et al. v. Peru

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

On March 12, 2020, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a sentence in which it declared the Republic of Peru internationally responsible for the violation of the rights to personal liberty, to personal integrity, to privacy, to freedom from torture, to judicial guarantees and to judicial protection of Azul Rojas Marín, in relation to the obligations to respect and guarantee said rights without discrimination and to adopt provisions of domestic law. The Court also declared the State responsible for the violation of the right to humane treatment of Azul Rojas Marín's mother, Mrs. Juan Rosa Tanta Marín.

Complete Milestone
Regional

AG/RES. 2961 (L-O/20)

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

The chapter on LGTBI rights focuses on the condemnation of violence motivated by sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics, it also urges States to take measures and establishes lines of action for OAS bodies.

Complete Milestone
Argentina

Law No. 27.610: Legal, Safe and Free Abortion Law

M.A.f.I.A

Law No. 27.610 regulates access to voluntary and legal termination of pregnancy and postabortion care for all persons with gestational capacity. It is of mandatory application throughout the country. As of this law, Law 27.610, women and people with other gender identities have the right to terminate their pregnancies: - Up to the fourteenth (14) week, without the need to explain the reasons for their decision. - When the pregnancy is the result of rape or if her life or health is in danger. Likewise, all persons have the right to post-abortion care regardless of whether or not the abortion occurred in the situations provided by law, and to access to contraceptive methods.

Complete Milestone
El Salvador

Special Law for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

Article 53 of this law determines that the institutions that provide health services must implement actions to guarantee sexual and reproductive health care for persons with disabilities. It also establishes that the autonomy of women with disabilities must be respected in family planning processes and in cases of sterilizations, based on their free and informed consent.

Complete Milestone
Brazil

STF Brazil- RE 670422 / RS - RIO GRANDE DO SUL

Victoria Holguin

In this sentence the Federal Supreme Court states that people have the subjective right to change the name and gender classification in the birth certificate, without the need for surgical procedure reassignment surgery. It establishes this decision on the Principles of human dignity, personality, privacy, "isonomy", health and happiness.

Complete Milestone

2019

Universal

General Recommendation No. 36

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

The GR focuses on the interpretation of Article 6 of the Covenant, which refers to the right to life.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Thematic Report on Violence and Discrimination against Women and Girls: Best Practices and Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In this report the IACHR states that although there is no legal definition of obstetric violence, the IACHR has considered that "obstetric violence encompasses all situations of disrespectful, abusive, negligent treatment, or denial of treatment, during pregnancy and the previous stage, and during childbirth or postpartum, in public or private health centers". The IACHR specifies that obstetric violence is defined as actions or omissions on the part of doctors and support personnel in public or private health services during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum; characterized by dehumanizing or discriminatory treatment that causes physical, psychological or moral harm to the woman.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General Observation No. 24

Committee on the Rights of the Child

In this GC the Committee refers to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Universal

Joint general comment No. 3 (2017) of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and No. 22 (2017) of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on the general principles regarding the human rights of children in the context of international migration.

Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families,Committee on the Rights of the Child

In this GC the Committee refers to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Britez Arce v. Argentina

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In its report on the merits, the IACHR determined that the State did not prove that it had acted diligently or adopted reasonable measures to safeguard the rights of Mrs. Britez Arce, despite the special duties it had towards her as a pregnant woman.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Thematic Report on Violence and Discrimination against Women and Girls: Best Practices and Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In this report the IACHR states that although there is no legal definition of obstetric violence, the IACHR has considered that "obstetric violence encompasses all situations of disrespectful, abusive, negligent treatment, or denial of treatment, during pregnancy and the previous stage, and during childbirth or postpartum, in public or private health centers". The IACHR specifies that obstetric violence is defined as actions or omissions on the part of doctors and support personnel in public or private health services during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum; characterized by dehumanizing or discriminatory treatment that causes physical, psychological or moral harm to the woman.

Complete Milestone
Regional

AG/RES. 2941 (XLIX-O/19)

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

The chapter on LGTBI rights focuses on the condemnation of violence motivated by sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics; and urges States to take measures and establishes lines of action for OAS bodies.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Decree No. 339/019 on Humanized Childbirth

This decree regulates Article 6 of Law 19.580 on Gender-Based Violence against Women. It establishes that health service providers must adopt the necessary measures to ensure that women's care during the preconception consultation, pregnancy, birth and puerperium, as well as that of newborns, complies with the principles of the humanized-respectful care model. In particular, it determines that clinical practice should respect the right of every woman to be treated with respect, to be informed and to be accompanied by a trusted emotional support person throughout labor.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Law No. 1.953: establishing the guidelines for the development of public policy for the prevention of infertility and its treatment within the parameters of reproductive health.

The purpose of this law is to establish the guidelines for the development of public policy for the prevention of infertility and its treatment within the parameters of reproductive health.

Complete Milestone
Cuba

Constitution of the Republic

Mauricio Centurión

The Constitution of the Republic recognizes sexual orientation and gender identity.

Complete Milestone

2018

Regional

III Agreed Resolution of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD

III Meeting of the Regional Conference on Population and Development

In this document, the States of the region decide to reaffirm "the Montevideo Consensus on Population and Development as the basis for a comprehensive and strategic roadmap for national and regional action on population and development, which provides specific orientations and guidelines for the region in this area beyond 2014".

Complete Milestone
Regional

Manuela et al. v. El Salvador

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

The case refers to a series of violations in the framework of the criminal proceeding derived from a miscarriage that culminated in the conviction for the crime of aggravated homicide. In its analysis of the merits, the Commission determined that the State violated the right to personal liberty for the illegal detention of the victim, the right to privacy and the right to health; as well as the international responsibility of the State for the violation of the duty to state reasons, presumption of innocence and the principle of equality and non-discrimination taking into account the application of a series of stereotypes throughout the criminal proceedings. In addition, the Commission concludes that the violation of professional secrecy constituted an arbitrary restriction of Manuela's right to privacy.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Resolution No. 2928

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

In this Resolution, the OAS condemns discrimination and acts of violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. In addition, one of its objectives is to expand, improve and ensure access to health services for persons with disabilities, including sexual and reproductive health services,

Complete Milestone
Universal

General comment No. 6 on equality and nondiscrimination

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

As stated in Paragraph 1, the purpose of this GC is to clarify the obligations of States parties in relation to non-discrimination and equality, as enshrined in Article 5 of the Convention. Specific reference is made in this GC to the guarantee of the right to sexual and reproductive health.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Law No. 19.684: Comprehensive Law for trans persons.

Archivo de la Memoria Trans, perteneciente al fondo documental de Vanesa Sander

The purpose of this Law is to ensure the right of trans persons to a life free of discrimination and stigmatization, for which it establishes mechanisms, measures and comprehensive policies for prevention, care, protection, advocacy and redress. It recognizes the right of every person to the free development of his or her personality in accordance with his or her gender identity and establishes that every trans person has the right to comprehensive care in order to adapt his or her body to his or her gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Chile

Law No. 21.120: Recognizes and protects the right to gender identity.

Victoria Holguin

Recognizes and protects the right to gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Amparo in Review 1317/2017

Victoria Holguin

In this decision, the Mexican Supreme Court granted the amparo to CLM and ordered the Civil Registry to process her request, in order to allow her to go through a formal and administrative procedure to obtain the adjustment of her gender identity. The Court noted that gender identity is a constitutive and constituent element of a person's identity.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling SU-096

Victoria Holguin

In this decision, the Court ratified that the legal debate on the fundamental right to the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy (IVE in spanish) is concluded and upheld the order directed to the Ministry of Health to issue a regulation on the matter, in order to overcome the barriers preventing access to abortion. The Court includes all the jurisprudential precedent on IVE and ratifies the standards (rules and sub-rules) for the protection and guarantee of this right, which are mandatory (Source: The right to abortion in Colombia).

Complete Milestone

2017

Universal

General Recommendation No. 35

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The general recommendation complements and updates the guidance provided to States parties in general recommendation No. 19 and should be read in conjunction with it.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Advisory opinion No. 24

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

The Court emphasized that gender identity is a constitutive and constituent element of the identity of persons, and therefore its recognition by the State is of vital importance to guarantee the full enjoyment of the human rights of transgender persons. Thus, the Court established that, although the right to recognition of gender identity is not explicitly enshrined in the American Convention on Human Rights, it is necessarily derived from a harmonious interpretation of the articles that guarantee the human rights of transgender persons.harmonious interpretation of the articles that guarantee the recognition of juridical personality, the free development of personality, the right to privacy and the right to a name.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Thematic report on indigenous women

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Liz Tasa, "Kápar"

This thematic report indicates that the Inter-American Commission has been informed that, in several Latin American countries, indigenous women seeking health services were forced to undergo sterilization or to use contraceptives. In addition, the IACHR considers that States have certain fundamental obligations that require the immediate adoption of priority measures in the area of maternal health. One of these is to prioritize efforts and resources to ensure access to maternal health services for women who tend to be at higher risk, such as indigenous women.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Thematic Report on the Fulfillment of Children´s Rights

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In this report, the IACHR highlights the widespread conditions of discrimination and social exclusion faced by gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) children and adolescents. In turn, the Commission notes that States should create mechanisms to collect information and monitor social perceptions about children and adolescents and their rights. In particular, it is important to understand the resistance in society towards the exercise of certain rights such as sexual and reproductive rights.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Law No. 19,580: Law on Gender-Based Violence against Women.

Article 6 of Law 19,580 includes obstetric violence as one of the manifestations of gender-based violence and defines it as ""any action, omission and pattern of behavior performed by health personnel in the reproductive processes of a woman and that affects her autonomy to decide freely about her body and/or abuse of invasive techniques and procedures"".

Complete Milestone
Venezuela

Supreme Court of Justice - Ruling 399/2017

In this ruling, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice admitted an action brought by several citizens who, based on the right to the free development of their personality provided for in Article 20 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, request the recognition of their rights to change their names and gender.

Complete Milestone
Chile

Law No. 21.030: regulates the decriminalization of the voluntary termination of pregnancy on three grounds

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina."

The law authorizes the termination of pregnancy, performed by a surgeon with the woman's consent, in three cases: 1° If she is in life-threatening danger, in order to avoid a danger to her life; 2° if the embryo or fetus suffers from a congenital pathology of a lethal nature, that is, incompatible with its independent life once outside the uterus; and 3° if the pregnancy is the result of rape, at up to 12 weeks of gestation, a term that is extended to 14 weeks if the girl is under fourteen years of age.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Plurinational Constitutional Ruling 0076/2017

In this ruling the Court establishes the constitutionality of Law 807, although it declares as unconstitutional the paragraph II of Article 11 in its sentence ""...will allow the person to exercise all fundamental, political, labor, civil, economic and social rights..."".

Complete Milestone

2016

Universal

General comment No. 22

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

This GC details the specific legal obligations incumbent upon States parties to respect, protect and fulfill the right of everyone to sexual and reproductive health. Among them, it calls for the reformulation of laws that impede the realization of the right to sexual and reproductive health, such as laws criminalizing abortion, non-disclosure of HIV status, exposure to HIV and its transmission, sexual relations between consenting adults, and transgender identity or expression.

Complete Milestone
Regional

I.V. v. Bolivia

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

This case deals with the responsibility of the State for the damages suffered by Mrs. I.V. as a result of a fallopian tube ligation surgery she underwent without her informed consent. The Court declared violated, among others, the rights to personal integrity, dignity, private and family life, and access to information. It also emphasized that non-consensual sterilizations disproportionately affect women because they are socially assigned the reproductive and family planning function.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Montevideo Strategy for Implementation of the Regional Gender Agenda within the Sustainable Development Framework by 2030

XIII Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Montevideo Strategy comprises 74 measures for the ten axes for implementation that are agreed upon at the regional level by the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean, and which are subsequently adapted to the priorities and needs of the countries and inserted into the sustainable development plans, although they are applicable at different levels (national, subnational, local, regional and international). In this strategic document, the States Parties agree to define that ""The Regional Gender Agenda identifies agreements for gender equality and women's autonomy in relation to multiple issues that can be grouped into critical dimensions linked to human rights, and which, therefore, recognize women as subjects of rights and the States as guarantors of these rights, while ratifying their universal, indivisible, inalienable and interdependent nature: ii) Sexual and reproductive rights in relation to: information and comprehensive sexual education; safe and quality abortion services, in cases where abortion is legal or decriminalized in national legislation; contraception; integrated social health services; maternal mortality; sexual orientation and gender identity; universal and accessible services; disability and old age; eradication of pregnancy in girls, prevention of pregnancy and teenage motherhood; sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS; health emergencies; healthy motherhood; technological development; different types of families.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General comment No. 20

Committee on the Rights of the Child

In this GC, the Committee elaborates on the scope of the Convention regarding the rights of adolescents, establishes standards for access to services and consent, and urges States to guarantee access to safe abortion and post-abortion care, and to decriminalize the practice.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General comment No. 3 on women and girls with disabilities

Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

In this GC, the Committee reports on the obstacles encountered by women and girls with disabilities in most areas of life, which generate situations in which there are multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination against women and girls with disabilities, particularly in relation to the ability to exercise control over their own lives in various contexts, for example, with respect to health care, including sexual and reproductive health services, and where and with whom they wish to live, and makes recommendations to States Parties in this regard.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General Recommendation 34

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

In this GR, the Committee clarifies the obligations of States parties to guarantee the rights of rural women, focusing on Article 14 of CEDAW. While that article is the only provision of an international human rights treaty that refers specifically to rural women, all rights under the Convention apply to them, and Article 14 must be interpreted in the context of the Convention as a whole. (Parragraphs. 1 and 2).

Complete Milestone
Paraguay

Law No. 5.777: Law for the Integral Protection of Women against all forms of violence.

The purpose of this law is to establish policies and strategies for the prevention of violence against women, mechanisms for attention and measures for protection, punishment and comprehensive reparation. It defines violence against reproductive rights as the action that impedes, limits or violates the right of women to freely decide the number of children they wish to have; to receive information, guidance, comprehensive care and treatment during pregnancy or loss of pregnancy, childbirth, puerperium and breastfeeding; to exercise safe motherhood; or to choose safe contraceptive methods. In addition, it defines obstetric violence as violence exercised by health personnel over women's bodies and the physiological or pathological processes present during pregnancy, and as dehumanizing treatment that violates women's human rights.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Official Mexican Standard NOM-007-SSA2-2016, for the care of women during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium, as well as the care of newborns.

The purpose of this standard is to establish the minimum criteria for medical care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. It determines that care should be comprehensive and focused on considering human reproduction as an expression of reproductive rights, promoting co-responsibility in health care for the woman, her partner, the community and health personnel. Care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium and for newborns must be provided with quality and respect for their human rights, especially their dignity and cultural heritage, providing psychological support during their development. In addition, it establishes that no person providing gynecology and obstetrics services shall discriminate against or exercise any type of violence against women in labor.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Law No. 807: Gender Identity Law

Lucía Prieto / Vale Dranovsky

The Law establishes the procedure for the change of name and sex data of transsexual and transgender persons, allowing them to exercise their right to gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling C-274

Victoria Holguin

In this ruling, the Court establishes some limits to conscientious objection regarding abortion, by specifying that only those who are directly involved in the procedure may object.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-301

In this decision the Court establishes that the fundamental right to voluntary termination of pregnancy is NOT limited to the performance of the medical procedure, but also involves basic components of information, accessibility and availability of services by health care providers. In addition, the Court states that there are no time limitations for the performance of the abortion procedure in the grounds set forth in Ruling C-355 of 2006, being mandatory even at later stages of pregnancy. (Source El derecho al aborto en Colombia)

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling C-327

In this decision the Court settled the interpretations about the protection of prenatal life, stating that the determination of the legal existence of the person from birth does not violate the duty to protect life from conception, established in Article 4.1 of the American Convention, since life as a value is a constitutionally relevant good, but does not have the same degree of protection as the right to life. (Source The right to abortion in Colombia).

Complete Milestone
Ecuador

Organic Law on Identity and Civil Data Management

Archivo de la Memoria Trans, perteneciente al fondo documental de Marcela Soldavini “La rompe Coches”

This law recognizes gender identity and regulates the change of the field "sex" to "gender" in the Identity Card.

Complete Milestone
Puerto Rico

Law No. 200/2016

Tali Elbert, "Parir"

Through this regulation, the Legislature amends Law No. 156 in order to clarify the scope of its provisions. In particular, it specifies the right of the woman in labor to be accompanied by a person of her choice and establishes greater safeguards to the right of the expectant mother to be informed prior to consenting any particular procedure.

Complete Milestone
Peru

Ruling Exp. n° 06040-2015-PA/TC

This ruling of the Constitutional Court represents a departure from previous constitutional doctrine in relation to the right to gender identity. The departure from this jurisprudential doctrine will allow judicial bodies to protect the right to identity and legal personality of transsexual persons, since there will be no impediment, either legal or jurisprudential, to guarantee these rights.

Complete Milestone

2015

Universal

Resolution 70/1. Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

United Nations General Assembly

This UN General Assembly Resolution adopts the outcome document of the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda: Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is a comprehensive action plan structured around 15 Goals, disaggregated with their respective indicators.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General Recommendation 33

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

In this GR, the Committee examines the obligations of States parties to ensure that women have access to justice. These obligations encompass the protection of women's rights against all forms of discrimination in order to empower them as individuals and rights-holders. Effective access to justice maximizes the emancipatory and transformative potential of law. (P.2)

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Mexico Official Standard NOM-047-SSA2-2015, For the health care of the age group from 10 to 19 years of age

Themes

This law establishes that actions must be implemented in order to assess the sexual and reproductive wellbeing of people between 10 and 19 years of age, ensuring the provision of contraceptive methods for the prevention of unplanned pregnancies, as well as for the prevention of STIs.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling C-754

This is a landmark ruling of great importance in the consolidation of the normative framework regarding abortion, especially in relation to the grounds of sexual violence and risk to the life and health of the woman. In this decision, the Court states that the right to abortion is a fundamental right of women in Colombia. The voluntary termination of pregnancy falls within the category of reproductive rights, which, are recognized as human rights. It also establishes that all victims of sexual violence have the right to abortion, which will be guaranteed through priority attention and medical urgency, regardless of the time elapsed between the moment of the aggression and the consultation, and regardless of the existence of a criminal complaint. (Source El derecho al aborto en Colombia)

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-063

This ruling, establishes that each person has the right to autonomously define their sexual and gender identity and to have the data recorded in the civil registry correspond to their identity definition, which is constitutionally protected by the provisions that guarantee the free development of personality (art. 16 CP), the recognition of legal personality (art. 14 CP), and respect for human dignity in the three manifestations identified above: (i) right to live as one wants; (ii) right to live well; (iii) right to live without humiliation. In the present case, the three dimensions are relevant, especially the first and the third, since the lack of correspondence between the sexual and gender identity that a person assumes and that which is registered in his identity documents implies denying the person a constitutive dimension of their personal autonomy (the right to live as one wishes), which in turn can become the object of rejection and discrimination by others (right to live without humiliation) and hinder the employment opportunities that allow access to the material conditions necessary for a dignified life (right to live well).

Complete Milestone
Argentina

Law No. 26.994: National Civil and Commercial Code.

Paula Salischiker

The Civil Code establishes a chapter on "General rules regarding filiation by assisted human reproduction techniques"

Complete Milestone

2014

Universal

Joint general recommendation/general comment No. 31 of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and No. 18 of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on harmful practices

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),Committee on the Rights of the Child

In this joint GR, the Committees establish standards regarding the duty to ensure access to comprehensive and confidential health services.

Complete Milestone
Subregional

Decision No. 13/14

Common Market Council

Through this decision, the Common Market Council approves the ""MERCOSUR Gender Equality Policy Guidelines"", which urge the States to develop policies that ensure the full exercise of sexual and reproductive rights of women and men; guarantee the right to make free, informed, voluntary and responsible decisions on sexuality and reproduction, without coercion, violence or discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, race, religious beliefs, disability or place of residence.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Ruling SEF-11-201/2014

In this case, the Public Prosecutor's Office complains that, since no psychiatrist participated in the report of the Advisory Commission on Gender Identity, the petitioner should have provided a report from a professional treating her mental health, or undergone an expert opinion. The petitioner, on the other hand, states that it is illegitimate to condition the right to a change of name and registered sex to the performance of medical treatments, since it would be an arbitrary interference in the private life (art. 12 Universal Declaration, 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). The Court ruled that the law does not establish how the multidisciplinary team specialized in gender identity and diversity, to be constituted within the General Directorate of the Civil Status Registry, will be conformed, so it cannot be understood that there is any illegality whatsoever. Finally, it states that the law is clear in granting a special value to the testimony of the people who know the daily life of the petitioner and that of the professionals who have attended him/her from a social, mental and physical point of view, which in no way can be confused with the need for such evidence.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Law No. 548: Children and Adolescents Code

Lucía Prieto / Vale Dranovsky
Themes

The purpose of the Code is to recognize, develop and regulate the exercise of the rights of children and adolescents, implementing a Plurinational Comprehensive System for Children and Adolescents, to guarantee these rights through the co-responsibility of the State at all levels, family and society. It contains a specific section related to sexual and reproductive health of children and adolescents, and establishes measures related to comprehensive sexuality education.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Plurinational Constitutional Ruling 0206/2014

In this decision the Court establishes that there is right to abortion in case of rape, incest or threat to life or health. It also states that judicial authorization is not required, nor is a complaint of rape, and urges the powers of the State to take measures to guarantee sexual and reproductive rights.

Complete Milestone
Ecuador

Penal Code

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina."

Causes of non-punishability for abortion are established

Complete Milestone

2013

Regional

Montevideo Consensus

Regional Conference on Population and Development of Latin America and the Caribbean

María Eugenia Cerutti

The Montevideo Consensus is a milestone in the sexual and reproductive rights agenda at the regional and global level because it establishes the first definition of sexual and reproductive rights agreed upon at the intergovernmental level, and indicates a concrete regional agenda, a true roadmap with clear lines of action in addition to 130 points that recognize the need to establish accountability and follow-up mechanisms, as well as definitions based on the international human rights obligations of States.

Complete Milestone
Universal

General Comment No. 15

Committee on the Rights of the Child

In this GC, the Committee deepens the interpretation of the scope of the right to health, "from the perspective of the rights of the child, in the sense that all children are entitled to opportunities for survival, growth and development in a context of physical, emotional and social well-being to the maximum extent of their potential".

Complete Milestone
Regional

Santo Domingo Consensus

XII Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

In this document there is a chapter that states that women's autonomy is an essential factor in guaranteeing the exercise of their human rights in a context of full equality and, in particular, that control over their bodies, their integral health and the right to a life free of violence (physical autonomy) is an essential factor in guaranteeing the exercise of their human rights in a context of full equality.

Complete Milestone
Universal

Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,

Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina."

In this report, Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez examines several of the abusive practices commonly reported in health care settings and describes how the framework of protection against torture and ill-treatment is applied in that context. This is a key report because it highlights the link between the prohibition of practices such as abortion and torture.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Law No. 19,167: Regulation of assisted human reproduction techniques.

Law 19.167 regulates assisted human reproduction techniques, establishing the State's duty to guarantee that these procedures are included in the benefits of the National Health System.

Complete Milestone
Panama

Law No. 82, which adopts measures for the prevention of violence against women and reforms the Penal Code to criminalize femicide and punish acts of violence against women.

Lucía Prieto / Vale Dranovsky

This law aims to guarantee women's right to a life free of violence. It establishes that women have the right to decide about their reproductive life in accordance with the law, as well as to decide the number of pregnancies and when to have them. It defines violence against reproductive freedom as that which violates the right of women to decide freely and responsibly the number of pregnancies or the interval between births. As for obstetric violence it defines it as that which is exercised by health personnel over the body and reproductive processes of women, whether expressed in abusive, dehumanizing, humiliating or rude treatment.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Law No. 475: Law on Comprehensive Health Services of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

Themes

It defines sexual and reproductive health attention, and also establishes comprehensiveness and interculturality as guiding principles.

Complete Milestone
Dominican Republic

Law No. 5-13: on Disability

Son Miradas Neuquén, registro de la jornada "Mapas de Placer. Sexualidad y diverisdad funcional/discapacidad. Una propuesta multisensorial"

Article 65 of this law determines the creation of the Department of Prevention and Health, whose purpose is to guarantee that the general policy of health and prevention services ensures that persons with disabilities have effective access to adequate care for their physical and mental health, including sexual and reproductive health, as well as early detection and intervention, when appropriate, as well as services aimed at preventing and reducing the development of new disabilities.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Law No. 1.618: by means of which the provisions are established to guarantee the full exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities.

The purpose of this law is to guarantee and ensure the effective exercise of the rights of persons with disabilities, through the adoption of measures of inclusion, affirmative action and reasonable adjustments and eliminating all forms of discrimination due to disability.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Law No. 1,622: Whereby the youth citizenship statute is issued and other provisions are enacted.

This law, which creates the statute of youth citizenship, states that there shall be no discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, in addition to establishing that young people have the right to the full enjoyment of their sexual and reproductive health, for which reason the State shall create prevention, training and information policies with a differential and responsible approach.

Complete Milestone

2012

Regional

Artavia Murillo Et Al. v. Costa Rica

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Victoria Holguin

In this decision, the Court emphasized that the pre-implantation embryo is not covered by the terms of Article 4 of the Convention and recalled the principle of gradual and incremental protection of prenatal life.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Atala Riffo and Daughters v. Chile

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

The case concerns the international responsibility of the State for discriminatory treatment and arbitrary interference in the private and family life of Karen Atala Riffo, due to her sexual orientation. It established important standards for the principle of equality and the obligation not to discriminate on the basis of gender.

Complete Milestone
Argentina

Law No. 26.743: Gender Identity Law

Sol Avena, "Retrato Marce Butierrez"

The law establishes the right to modify personal data in the registry: change the name, image and registered sex. Access to hormonal treatments and total or partial surgical interventions to adapt the body to the chosen identity. Develop the personality in accordance with the chosen identity. In 2018, this regulation was abolished by the Comprehensive Law for trans persons.

Complete Milestone
Argentina

F., A.L s/ satisfactory measure

Mauricio Centurión

The Supreme Court clarified the scope of non-punishable abortion and said that these cases should not be prosecuted. It interpreted the Penal Code by saying that the termination of pregnancy resulting from any kind of rape is not punishable and that any case of non-punishable abortion is not subject to judicial proceedings, and urged the implementation of hospital protocols.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Law No. 18.987: Law on the Voluntary Interruption of Pregnancy

It establishes the right to the termination of an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy within the first 12 weeks of gestation, and the obligation of the institutions to guarantee access to those who require the service. After this term, the law determines that the termination of pregnancy may be performed when it implies a serious risk to health; when a pathological process incompatible with extrauterine life is verified and when it is the result of a rape proven by a judicial accusation, within fourteen weeks of gestation.

Complete Milestone
Peru

Law No. 29.973: General Law on Persons with Disabilities.

Son Miradas Neuquén, registro de la jornada "Mapas de Placer. Sexualidad y diverisdad funcional/discapacidad. Una propuesta multisensorial"

This law establishes that the State guarantees that persons with disabilities have access to comprehensive, quality health services implemented with quality infrastructure, equipment and trained human resources, including rehabilitation and sexual and reproductive health.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Law No. 223: General Law for Persons with Disabilities

Themes

The law guarantees the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of persons with disabilities, and recognizes their right to decide freely about their sexuality and reproductive rights, and acknowledges their sexual diversity.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Decree No. 292/2012

Themes

Incorporates the insertion of Intrauterine Device (IUD) as a mandatory service in the Comprehensive Health Programs.

Complete Milestone
Brazil

Federal Supreme Court- ADPF 54/DF

With this decision the SC establishes the unconstitutionality of the interpretation according to which the termination of pregnancy of an anencephalic fetus is a conduct typified in articles 124, 126 and 128, paragraphs I and II, of the Penal Code. It endorses the legal abortion of proven anencephalic fetuses.

Complete Milestone

2011

Universal

LMR v. Argentina

United Nations Human Rights Committee

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina."

The case contributed to a growing consensus in international law that restricting women's access to abortion can be considered torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under Article 7 of the ICCPR. It also demonstrated that obstruction of access to lawful and effective medical procedures can violate the Covenant.

Complete Milestone
Universal

LC v. Peru

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

The Committee established that Peru should amend its law to allow women to obtain an abortion in cases of rape and sexual assault; establish a mechanism to ensure the availability of such abortion services; and guarantee access to abortion services when the woman's life and mental and physical health are in danger, circumstances in which abortion is currently legal in the country; it also urged the State to review its restrictive interpretation of therapeutic abortion in line with the Committee's general recommendation No. 24.

Complete Milestone
Universal

Alyne da Silva Pimentel v. Brazil

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

This was the first case on maternal mortality brought before the CEDAW Committee. The Committee approached the case with reference to Article 12 of the ICESCR and General Comment 14 on the right to health developed by the CESCR to capture the scope of the rights and obligations at stake. This case represented an important step towards greater coherence in international human rights law on women's economic, social and cultural rights. Also, the CEDAW Committee's inclusion of factors that affected Pimentel's access to health services, such as poverty and race, was important in further developing an inter-sectional concept of ESC rights. (ESCR NETWORK)

Complete Milestone
Regional

Gelman v. Uruguay

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

The case refers to the international responsibility of the State for the enforced disappearance of María Claudia García Iruretagoyena de Gelman, as well as the suppression and substitution of identity of María Macarena Gelman García. In this decision, the Court determined that the facts of the case reveal a particular conception of a woman's body that undermines her maternity, which is an essential part of the free development of women's personality.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Report on Access to Reproductive Health Information from a Human Rights Perspective

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In this report, the IACHR recalls that the right to access to information is especially relevant in the area of health and specifically in the area of sexuality and reproduction, as it contributes to the ability of individuals to make free and informed decisions regarding intimate aspects of their personality. Under the Inter-American system, access to sexual and reproductive information involves a series of rights such as the right to freedom of expression, personal integrity, protection of the family, privacy and freedom from violence and discrimination.

Complete Milestone
Universal

The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

In this report, Special Rapporteur Anand Grover on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health examines the interaction between criminal laws and other legal restrictions on sexual and reproductive health and the right to health. The right to sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental part of the right to health. States must therefore ensure that this aspect of the right to health is fully realized. The Special Rapporteur examines the impact of criminal and other legal restrictions on abortion; conduct during pregnancy; contraception and family planning; and access to sexual and reproductive health education and information. Some of the criminal and other legal restrictions in each of these areas, often discriminatory, hinder access to quality goods, services and information and thus violate the right to health. They also violate human dignity by restricting the freedoms arising from the right to health, particularly with regard to decision-making and physical integrity. Moreover, the application of these laws to achieve certain public health outcomes is often ineffective and disproportionate.

Complete Milestone
Paraguay

Law No. 4.313: Budget Assurance of the Reproductive Health and Delivery Kit Provisioning Programs of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare.

The purpose of this law is to ensure the minimum conditions for the exercise of all persons' right to decide the number and frequency of the birth of their children and to receive adequate services, as well as proper assistance to the woman and the newborn during childbirth. For this purpose, resources for the provision of contraceptives and delivery kits are assured and the right of every woman to receive these supplies free of charge, according to her voluntary and informed choice, is established.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Art. 4° of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States

Article 4 of the Mexican Constitution establishes that everyone has the right to decide freely, responsibly and in an informed manner on the number and spacing of their children.

Complete Milestone
Nicaragua

Law No. 763: Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

It establishes that the Ministry of Health will provide information, education, hygiene, preventive and healing sexual and reproductive health services to men and women with disabilities throughout their life cycle; the reduction of maternal mortality.

Complete Milestone
Chile

Law No. 20,533

Themes

This law amends the Health Code to authorize midwives to prescribe contraceptives.

Complete Milestone
El Salvador

Law on Equality, Equity and the Eradication of Discrimination against Women

It specifies that the State establishes as fundamental rights in the area of comprehensive health, sexual health and reproductive health: the right to receive qualified information on matters related to these rights; the right to receive risk prevention services in this matter; and the right to comprehensive care. It determines that all persons, without any discrimination whatsoever and at all stages of their lives, must be guaranteed access to educational information, free and good quality services for comprehensive health care in the design, implementation and evaluation of health policies and plans. In addition, quality health services during fertilization, implantation, pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium should also be guaranteed to all women, without discrimination of any kind.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T- 636

In this ruling, the Court indicates that it is not possible to require a court order for the practice of abortion, and that the evaluation of the medical condition of a pregnancy is not the responsibility of women, but an obligation that corresponds to the entity providing health services, in order to verify whether any cause for abortion is present. In addition, the Court indicates that there is no gestational age limit for access to abortion, although medical criteria must be taken into account for the practice of abortion at advanced gestational ages, without censuring the autonomous decisions of women about their health and reproductive autonomy. (Source The right to abortion in Colombia).

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Action of Unconstitutionality 11/2009

Felicitas Rossi

In this ruling, the Supreme Court declared the invalidity of the first paragraph of article 7 of the Political Constitution of the State of Baja California, regarding the normative portion that established the protection of life from the moment of conception. The Court understood that the challenged normative portion, even though it intends to protect prenatal life -a good deserving of constitutional protection-, is unconstitutional, since, while protecting prenatal life, it violates the dignity of women and their fundamental rights, particularly their reproductive and health rights.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Action of Unconstitutionality 62/2009

This sentence declares the invalidity of the first paragraph of article 16 of the Constitution of San Luis Potosi, which established the protection of life from conception. The Supreme Court stated that the protection of the constitutional value of life entails an affectation to the reproductive rights and health of women, who are prevented from exercising acquired rights, such as the right to health and the right to decide the number and spacing of children, as well as the right to use family planning methods, emergency contraceptives or in vitro fertilization as a means of assisted reproduction.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Decree No. 9/2011

Themes

As of this decree, contraceptive methods became a mandatory benefit for the entire National Comprehensive Health System. The methods covered include: monophasic and triphasic combined hormonal oral contraception, for use during breastfeeding, emergency contraception and male condoms.

Complete Milestone
Peru

Ruling in Case No. 4323

Paula Salischiker

In this ruling, the Peruvian Supreme Court considers that ovodonation is not legislated and, therefore, does not constitute an illicit act or crime. For this reason, since the technique used is legal, it determines that the agreement signed is valid.

Complete Milestone

2010

Regional

Indigenous community Xákmok Kásek. v. Paraguay

Inter-American Court of Human Rights

Tali Elbert, "Parir"

The Court emphasizes that extreme poverty and the lack of adequate medical care for pregnant or post-pregnant women are causes of high maternal mortality and morbidity. Therefore, the States must provide adequate health policies that allow them to offer assistance with adequately trained personnel for the care of births, policies for the prevention of maternal mortality through adequate prenatal and post-partum controls, and legal and administrative instruments in health policies that allow adequate documentation of cases of maternal mortality.

Complete Milestone
Regional

Report on Access to Maternal Health Services from a Human Rights Perspective

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In this report, the IACHR highlights that maternal mortality continues to be a serious human rights problem that dramatically affects women around the world and in the region, and that has repercussions for their families and communities. Specifically, women who have been historically marginalized on the basis of race, ethnicity, economic status and age have the least access to needed maternal health services. This report addresses how States' obligations to respect and guarantee human rights without discrimination, particularly the right to personal integrity, can contribute to overcoming inequalities in access to maternal health services - understood as women's health during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period - and in ensuring that all women, particularly those who have been historically marginalized, enjoy effective access to these services.

Complete Milestone
Chile

Law No. 20.418: establishes norms on information, guidance and benefits on fertility regulation.

Themes

This standard regulates issues related to information, counseling and services related to fertility regulation, in particular access to contraceptive methods, including emergency contraception.

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Law No. 45: Law against Racism and all forms of Discrimination

The law establishes sexual orientation and gender identities as protected categories and defines homophobia and transphobia.

Complete Milestone
Guatemala

Law for healthy maternity. Decree number 32-2010

The purpose of this Law is to create a legal framework to implement the necessary mechanisms to improve the health and quality of life of women and newborns, and to promote human development by ensuring women's maternity, through universal, timely and free access to timely, accurate and complete information and quality services before and during pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum, to prevent and progressively eradicate maternal and neonatal mortality. Among its purposes is to guarantee universal, timely and quality access to maternal-neonatal services, including family planning, differentiated care for adolescents, respecting the cultural relevance and geographic location of Guatemalan women, among others.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Decree No. 293/2010

Regulates the creation of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services throughout the country and establishes the benefits to be provided by such services, which must include universal access to safe and reliable contraceptive methods.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Decree No. 383/010

Themes

Determines the inclusion of tubal ligation and vasectomy in Comprehensive Health Programs.

Complete Milestone

2009

Regional

Resolution N° 2504

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

In this Resolution the OAS General Assembly condemns acts of violence and related human rights violations perpetrated against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Law No. 18.620: Right to Gender Identity and Change of name and sex in identification documents.

M.A.f.I.A

Law 18.620 establishes the right of every person to the free development of his or her personality in accordance with his or her own gender identity. At the same time, it enables the change of name and gender in the identification documents without the performance of surgeries, recognizing the right to be identified in a way that recognizes the gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Argentina

Law No. 26.485: Law on comprehensive protection to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women.

This is a comprehensive law to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women in the spheres in which they develop their interpersonal relationships and proposes a broad approach to the problem of aggression against women. It defines obstetric violence, reproductive violence and institutional violence as key types of violence in the approach to sexual and reproductive rights. In addition, it establishes actions of the three branches of government and proposes the participation of the Supreme Court, judges and security forces.

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Mexico Official Standard NOM-046-SSA2-2005 on Family, Sexual and Violence Against Women, Criteria for Prevention and Care.

This standard establishes that in case of pregnancy due to rape, and upon authorization by the competent authority, under the terms of the applicable legislation, public institutions providing medical care services must provide abortion services at the request of the victim concerned, in the case of a minor, at the request of her father and/or mother, or in their absence, of her guardian, or in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-009/09

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina.

In this ruling the Court develops standards regarding the self-determination and reproductive autonomy of women as a fundamental component for the exercise of the right to abortion. (Source: The right to abortion in Colombia)

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-388

In this ruling, the Court places special emphasis on the rules for the exercise of conscientious objection in the care of abortion cases, as well as on the obligations and duties of providers and officials. This is the first ruling, after C-355 of 3006, which reiterates that the concepts of psychologists are valid for abortion. (Source: The right to abortion in Colombia)

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-732/09

In this ruling, the Court vindicates the constitutionality of sexual and reproductive rights and identifies the differences and scope of each.

Complete Milestone

2008

Regional

Resolution N° 2435

General Assembly of the Organization of American States

In this Resolution the OAS General Assembly expresses concern about acts of violence and related human rights violations committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Regional

First Hemispheric Report on the Implementation of the Belém do Pará Convention

MESECVI

Liz Tasa, "Kápar"

In this first hemispheric report, the experts mention that "in legislations where sexual and reproductive rights are neither protected nor recognized, serious violations of these rights can occur, translated into ignorance of their sexual and reproductive rights, forced sterilization, high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, among others. Those most at risk and at risk are the most vulnerable women: impoverished women, young women, and women in rural areas for whom access to health care is a serious problem and who must resort to unhealthy and dangerous practices".

Complete Milestone
Uruguay

Law No. 18.426: Law on sexual and reproductive health.

This is a comprehensive law on SRHR that aims to promote national sexual and reproductive health policies and programs. Among its specific objectives are: to promote humanized childbirth, guaranteeing intimacy and privacy; to promote the development of assistance programs with a strategy to reduce risk and harm, including a protocol for comprehensive care in cases of ""unwanted-unaccepted pregnancy""; and to guarantee universal access to contraceptive methods.

Complete Milestone
Nicaragua

Law No. 648: Equal Rights and Equal Opportunities Law

It determines the Ministry of Health's obligation to establish plans and programs that enable women and men, without any distinction and at all stages of their lives, to have access to comprehensive health care services, information, education, hygiene and low-cost and good quality services; preventive and healing, sexual and reproductive health services and the reduction of maternal mortality.

Complete Milestone
Chile

Ruling ROL No. 740-07-CDS

Themes

Declares Emergency Contraception Unconstitutional

Complete Milestone
Bolivia

Political Constitution of the State

M.A.f.I.A

Recognizes sexual and reproductive rights and recognizes and protects the right to gender identity.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T- 209/08

In this ruling, the Court sets a series of standards regarding conscientious objection to abortion. In addition, the Court sets new rules for health care providers in this matter and the legal consequences in case of non-compliance (Source: El derecho al aborto en Colombia).

Complete Milestone
Mexico

Action of Unconstitutionality 146/2007 and its cumulative 147/2007

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina."

This is a historic and groundbreaking ruling in the Mexican legal system in terms of the recognition of women's sexual and reproductive rights. In this ruling, the Court decided that it was the legislator's power to define the protection of such right and the reforms that legalize the interruption of pregnancy are not contrary to the Mexican Constitution.

Complete Milestone

2007

Regional

Quito Consensus

X Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

In this document, the States recognize that unsafe abortion, teenage pregnancies and the insufficient provision of family planning services are an example of the limitations of the States in guaranteeing Sexual and reproductive Rights. The States commit to ensure that sexual and reproductive rights and universal access to comprehensive health care are considered an indispensable condition for guaranteeing women's participation in political life and paid work and, therefore, in decision-making positions for all women, with priority given to young women, the poorest women, indigenous women, women of African descent, rural women and women with disabilities.

Complete Milestone
Peru

Law No. 28.983: Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men.

It establishes as a guideline for the Executive Power, regional governments and local governments, the duty to guarantee the right to health in terms of availability, quality, acceptability and accessibility to services, with special emphasis on the enforcement of sexual and reproductive rights, the prevention of teenage pregnancy, and the right to safe motherhood.

Complete Milestone
Venezuela

Law No. 38.668: Organic Law on the right of women to a life free of violence.

Sarah Pabst

The purpose of this law is to guarantee and promote the right of women to a life free of violence, creating conditions to prevent, address, punish and eradicate violence against women in any of its manifestations and within any sphere. It considers obstetric violence as a form of violence defined as the appropriation of women's bodies and reproductive processes by health personnel, which is expressed in a dehumanizing treatment, in an abuse of medicalization and pathologization of natural processes, resulting in the loss of autonomy and the ability to decide freely about their bodies and sexuality, negatively impacting women's quality of life.

Complete Milestone
Venezuela

Organic Law for the Protection of Boys, Girls and Adolescents

Johis Alarcon

This law establishes that all children and adolescents have the right to be informed and educated, according to their development, on sexual and reproductive health for responsible, healthy, voluntary and safe sexual activity and parenthood. The State, with the participation of society, must guarantee sexual and reproductive health care services and programs for all children and adolescents. These services and programs must be affordable, confidential, safeguard the right to privacy of children and adolescents and respect their free consent, based on timely and accurate information. Adolescents over fourteen years of age have the right to request and receive these services on their own.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-988/07

In this judgment, the Court reviewed the main arguments that led to the decriminalization of abortion on grounds for abortion in ruling C-355 of 2006 and pointed out that these arguments are mandatory, as it went into more detail about the violation of rights due to additional requirements to those established in ruling C-355 to allow the voluntary termination of pregnancy. In addition, this is the first ruling in which the Court establishes a rule for cases of abortion in women with disabilities.

Complete Milestone
Colombia

Ruling T-636/07

The Court gives scope to Ruling C-355 of 2006 and to international instruments on Sexual and Reproductive Rights, to recognize that such rights are human rights and fundamental constitutional rights, and that, therefore, they are susceptible to be protected through the tutela action. The Court clarified that the Right to Diagnosis, as it is related to the protection of other fundamental rights, is susceptible to be protected through the tutela action. (Source The Right to Abortion in Colombia)

Complete Milestone

2006

Regional

Friendly Settlement Agreement in the case of Paulina del Carmen Ramirez Jacinto - Mexico

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Carolina De Luca, fotografía tomada en el barrio Padre Ricciardelli (ex 1-11-14)

Mexico signed a Friendly Settlement Agreement with the petitioners, who denounced this State before the IACHR for the violation of the human rights of the minor Paulina del Carmen Ramírez Jacinto, victim of a rape from which she became pregnant, and who was hindered by the State authorities from exercising her right to terminate the pregnancy as established by Mexican law.

Complete Milestone
Universal

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Son Miradas Neuquén, registro de la jornada "Mapas de Placer. Sexualidad y diverisdad funcional/discapacidad. Una propuesta multisensorial"

The Convention is the first legally binding international instrument that obliges states to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities in particular. The Convention covers many areas where barriers may arise. It also seeks to reduce stigmatization and discrimination, which are often among the reasons why people with disabilities are excluded from education, employment, health and other services.

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Uruguay

Law No. 17,386: Law on support for women during labor, delivery and birth.

This law provides that every woman has the right to be accompanied by a person she trusts during labor, delivery and at the moment of birth.

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Colombia

Ruling C-355

Lucía Prieto / Vale Dranovsky

This ruling decriminalizes abortion in three cases: when the continuation of the pregnancy constitutes a danger to the life or health of the woman, when there is a serious malformation of the child that makes its life unviable, and when the pregnancy is the result of a denounced conduct of carnal intrusion or sexual act without consent, artificial insemination, non-consensual fertilized egg transfer or incest.

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Ecuador

Organic Health Law

Themes

The purpose of the Law is to regulate the actions that allow the effective fulfillment of the universal right to health as established in the Political Constitution of the Republic and the law. It is ruled by the principles of equity, integrality, solidarity, universality, unrenounceability, indivisibility, participation, plurality, quality and efficiency; with a rights-based, intercultural, gender, generational and bioethical approach. (Art. 1)

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Puerto Rico

Law No. 156/2010: Law on Support during Labor, Delivery, Postpartum and Birth

It establishes that every pregnant woman at the time of labor, delivery and post-partum shall have the right: to be informed about the different medical interventions that may take place during the process, so that she may choose freely when there are different alternatives; to be treated with respect and in an individual and personalized approach, guaranteeing her privacy and emotional intimacy throughout the process; and to be accompanied by persons of her trust and choice during labor, delivery and post-partum, including the cesarean section procedure.

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Argentina

Law 26130- Surgical contraception

Themes

This law establishes that all persons of legal age have the right to have access to the performance of the practices called ""tube ligation"" and ""vasectomy"" in the services of the health system. (art.1)

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Peru

Ruling Exp. N 7435-2006-PC/TC

Themes

In this ruling, the Constitutional Court declared justified the demand for compliance against the Ministry of Health, in order to comply with Ministerial Resolutions N 465-99 SA/DM and 399-01 SA/DM, which guarantee the provision and information on the emergency oral contraceptive (EOC) in all establishments under its charge, and order to comply with its obligation to inform and distribute the Emergency Oral Contraceptive Pill free of charge.

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Peru

Ruling EXP. No. 2273-2005-PHC/TC

The Constitutional Court recognizes the right to identity, highlighting the role of the birth certificate and the National Identity Card as means for the exercise of such rights. Thus, it declares the claim founded and orders the expedition of the National Identity Document, with the name changed by court order, at the request of a transsexual person, without changing the data related to the place of birth, sex and age.

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2005

Universal

KL v. Peru

United Nations Human Rights Committee

This case is considered an important milestone for the health and reproductive rights of women in Peru and around the world. For the first time, an international human rights body found a country responsible for refusing to ensure access to medical services in a case of non-punishable abortion that were essential to a woman's health, thereby violating her fundamental human rights (ESCR Network).

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Uruguay

Ruling 159/2005

This ruling refers to the case of a woman who underwent a sex change surgery and requested the correction of her original birth certificate, in terms of name and sex, as of the date of the surgery, in order to adjust her birth certificate to her new situation. The Supreme Court of Justice of Uruguay by majority granted the request in the referred ruling, referring to several rights, including the right to the dignity of each person and the right to one's own identity, thus allowing the interested party to marry a person of female sex.

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Guatemala

Law on Universal and Equitable Access to Family Planning Services and its Integration into the National Reproductive Health Program.

Candela Muriel Bahamonde Patrignoni, "No es moda, es amor" de la muestra permanente ¡Educación Sexual Integral es tu derecho!, proyecto de la Escuela Superior de Comercio Manuel Belgrano
Themes

The purpose of this Law is to ensure the population's access to family planning services, including information, counseling, education on sexual and reproductive health and the provision of family planning methods. The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance, and other public and private entities of the health sector, must guarantee the sustainable maintenance of all modern methods of spacing pregnancies in the establishments of the public health network, which allows to adequately respond to the demand of the population and ensures universal access to such methods.

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2004

Regional

Mexico Consensus

IX Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

In this agreement, the States commit to review and implement legislation that guarantees the responsible exercise of sexual and reproductive rights and non-discriminatory access to health services, including sexual and reproductive health.

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Argentina

Law 25.929: Humanized Childbirth Law

Tali Elbert, "Parir"

This law, called "" Rights of Parents and Children during the Birth Process"", regulates the rights at the moment of birth and establishes obligations for health care providers at different levels.

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Mexico

Resolution amending Mexican Official Standard NOM005SSA21993, On family planning services

Themes

The objective of this Standard is to standardize the operative criteria, policies and strategies for the provision of family planning services in Mexico, within a framework of absolute freedom and respect for the individual's decision and following a systematic counseling process, based on the application of a holistic approach to reproductive health. It establishes that family planning services must provide information, orientation, counseling, selection, prescription, contraindications and application of fertility control methods, identification and referral in cases of sterility and infertility, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, maternal and child care, preconception risk detection, timely detection of cervical and breast cancer, as well as handling of perimenopause and postmenopause. The provision of services should be granted in a comprehensive manner with quality and warmth to the entire population.

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2003

Regional

Amicable Settlement Agreement in the María Mamérita Mestanza Chávez - Peru Case

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

In this Friendly Settlement Agreement, the Peruvian State acknowledges its international responsibility for violation of Articles 1.1, 4, 5 and 24 of the American Convention on Human Rights, as well as Article 7 of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, to the detriment of the victim María Mamérita Mestanza Chávez, who underwent a surgical sterilization procedure, which ultimately resulted in her death. In addition to committing to reparation measures, the Peruvian State undertakes to carry out legislative and public policy modifications on the issues of Reproductive Health and Family Planning, eliminating any discriminatory approach and respecting the autonomy of women.

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Colombia

Law 823

Luli Leiras
Themes

This law establishes the framework for the enactment of regulations on equal opportunities for women, and establishes that sexual and reproductive health policies will be implemented, with emphasis on women with disabilities.

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2002

Argentina

National Law 25.673: Creation of the National Program of Sexual Health and Responsible Childbearing

Lucía Barceló Morán, "No es moda, es amor" de la muestra permanente ¡Educación Sexual Integral es tu derecho!, proyecto de la Escuela Superior de Comercio Manuel Belgrano

This Law creates the National Program of Sexual Health and Responsible Childbearing within the scope of the Ministry of Health.

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Argentina

Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (CSJN) Portal de Belén - Non-Profit Civil Association w/ Ministry of Health and Social ActionSocial Action of the Nation s/ amparo

Themes

In this ruling, the CSJN orders the National State - National Ministry of Health and Social Action, National Administration of Medicines and Medical Technology - to cancel the authorization, prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and marketing of the drug "Imediat" (a brand of emergency contraception).

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2001

Nicaragua

Law No. 392: Law for the Promotion of the Integral Development of the Youth

Themes

This law establishes that health institutions must ensure appropriate services for young people in order to reduce the rates of youth with preventable immune diseases, sexually transmitted diseases and maternal mortality due to early pregnancies.

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Dominican Republic

Law 42: General Health Law

Guadalupe Gomez Verdi, Lisa Franz y Léa Meurice "11 semanas, 23 horas, 59 minutos. Aborto clandestino en Argentina.

It establishes the right of every person to obtain information and services on sexual health, sex education, prevention and care of sexually transmitted diseases for the optional regulation of fertility, including access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods, assuming the decision in this regard in a free, responsible and informed manner.

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2000

Universal

General Comment No. 14

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

With this GC, the Committee unfolds the scope of the right to health recognized in Art. 12 of the Covenant. The Committee recognizes the right to reproductive health and outlines its definition and scope, including specific provisions for adolescents and youth.

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Regional

Lima Consensus

VIII Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean

This agreement mentions sexual and reproductive rights and proposes measures for their fulfillment.

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Universal

General comment No. 28

United Nations Human Rights Committee

In this GC, the Committee urges States to submit reports on the right to life that provide data on birth rates and the number of cases of deaths of women in connection with pregnancy or childbirth. They should also provide information on measures taken to help prevent unwanted pregnancies and to ensure that women do not have to resort to life-threatening clandestine abortions.

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Universal

United Nations Millennium Declaration

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations

This Declaration is what enabled the adoption and implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda, which deployed programmatic actions around 8 Goals, one of them, Goal 5: Improve maternal health, for which it is proposed to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015 and achieve universal access to reproductive health.

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1999

Venezuela

Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Article 76 of the Venezuelan Constitution establishes the right of couples to decide freely and responsibly the number of children they wish to conceive and to be provided with the information and means to ensure the exercise of this right. The State shall guarantee assistance and integral protection to maternity, in general from the moment of conception, during pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium, and shall ensure comprehensive family planning services.

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1997

Regional

Santiago Consensus

VII Regional Conference on the Integration of Women in the Economic and Social Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

Sexual and reproductive rights are mentioned

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Peru

Law No. 26.842: General Health Law

Iniciativa ESI con amigues, Ministerio de las mujeres, políticas de género y diversidad sexual de Provincia de Buenos Aires
Themes

This law recognizes the right of all persons to freely choose the contraceptive method of their choice, including natural methods, and to receive, adequate information on the available methods, prior to the prescription or application of any contraceptive method. At the same time, it recognizes the right of every person to undergo infertility treatment, as well as to conceive through the use of assisted reproduction techniques, as long as the condition of genetic mother and gestational mother lies with the same person.

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1996

Brazil

Law No. 9263: Family Planning Law

Lucía Prieto / Vale Dranovsky
Themes

The present law establishes as a duty of the State, through the Unified Health System, in association, as the case may be, with the component entities of the educational system, to promote the information, educational, technical and scientific conditions and resources that ensure the free exercise of family planning. (art. 5).

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1995

Universal

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

IV World Conference on Women

Victoria Holguin

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted unanimously by 189 countries, is an agenda for women's empowerment and took into account the key global policy document on gender equality. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action sets out a series of strategic objectives and actions for the advancement of women and the achievement of gender equality, including the link between health and women (UN Women).

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1994

Universal

International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action

V World Conference on Population and Development

Johis Alarcón

The Program of Action is a milestone, particularly because it establishes the unbreakable relationship between population and development within the framework of human rights. It also presents the first globally agreed definition of reproductive health and rights.

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Regional

Mar del Plata Action Plan

VI Regional Conference on the Integration of Women in Economic and Social Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)

The agreement signed by the States of the Region mentions reproductive rights and establishes programmatic and strategic measures to guarantee them.

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