2019 World Abortion Laws Map published

8/7/2019

The Center for Reproductive Rights published it's 2019 edition of the World Abortion Laws Map.
26 countries prohibit abortion in all circumstances, 39 countries only allow abortion when the mother's live is at stake.

The Center for Reproductive Rights' new interactive website provides up-to-date information on the right to abortion across the world and includes an abortion law and policy guide, to support advocates in advancing reform, and a tool to track progress over time.

Belgian PM Charles Michel new European Council president

8/7/2019

The European Council elected Belgian prime minister Charles Michel as President of the European Council. The president presides over and drives forward the work of the European Council and is the European Union’s principal representative on the world stage. He is elected for the period from 1 December 2019 until 31 May 2022. But who is Charles Michel and what is his track record on SRHR and gender equality?

Belgium highlights sexual and reproductive rights during the European Sustainability Week

24/6/2019

Belgium put sexual and reproductive rights in the spotlight during the ‘European Sustainability Week’ in Berlin, June 2019. Sensoa participated in a panel with Moroccan documentary maker Mohammed Nabil and human rights activist Katrin Erlingsen of the NGO Deutsche Stiftung Weltvölkerung (DSW) at the Belgian Embassy in Berlin.

Health and the city? Be-cause health 2019 conference to focus on urban health

18/6/2019

Our world is ‘urbanising’ rapidly: two out of every three people are likely to be living in cities or other urban areas by 2050. Cities are often unhealthy places to live, but they also offer opportunities for social change, innovation and inter-sectoral solutions, including health and sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The Be-cause health international conference on Urban health on 15-16 October 2019 in Brussels will address the following questions: How can we achieve universal access to health in cities? What is the best way to organise health services and the health system in urban settings? How does urban life affect the health of urban populations? Save the date and preliminary programme.

New Lancet Series on the impact of gender inequalities and norms on health

18/6/2019

New Lancet Series on Gender Equality, Norms, and Health exposes failures by governments and health institutions to make progress towards gender equality, despite compelling evidence on impact of gender - and the spoken and unspoken rules of societies about acceptable gender behaviours - on health.

SRHR a priority for the next Belgian government?

17/6/2019

Belgian MPs rallying for SRHR during the previous legislative period

Which parties believe Belgium should advocate the rights of LGBT+ people worldwide? Which parties believe Belgium should continue its leading role in ‘She Decides‘, the global initiative on SRHR and gender equality? Which parties believe sexual and reproductive rights should be a priority within development cooperation policies?

Sensoa analysed the attention for SRHR in the election programmes of the Belgian political parties in view of the 2019 Belgian federal and regional elections. This analysis showed that several political parties, from the right to the far left, think SRHR should remain a priority during the next government term.

State of the World Population 2019 calls to continue pursuit of rights and choices for all

7/5/2019

SWOP 2019 Launch Brussels

UNFPA launched the State of the World Population 2019 in Brussels, May 7th, entitled ‘Unfinished Business. The pursuit of rights and choices for all’. Marking the 25th anniversary of the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA) as well as the 50th birthday of UNFPA itself, the report highlights the progress made, and the challenges ahead.

Belgium’s Directorate General for Development (DGD) Deputy Director Guy Rayée opened the launch, reminding everyone about the milestone the Cairo Programme of Action was. Tremendous progress has been made since, particular for women and their access to family planning.

United States undermine women’s rights in latest UN resolution on sexual violence

25/4/2019

The UN Security Council adopted a weak resolution on the uptake of sexual violence in conflict. The Americans insisted on deleting any reference to sexual and reproductive health care for victims of rape and sexual violence from the text.

The Trump administration is systematically undermining the consensus on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The administration wants to prevent any possible reference to abortion. With his entry into office the administration reintroduced the Mexico City Policy which prohibits American development aid to organisations which provide information on abortion or referrals to other organisations, even where abortion is allowed by law.

Belgium makes bold statements in support of universal access to SRHR at CPD52

9/4/2019

Adolescent girls. Copyright IPPF EN

“Belgium is determined to build a world in which no one, not a single child, not a single young person, not a single woman nor a single girl is left behind.” These were the closing words with which Belgium reconfirmed its strong commitment to the full implementaton of the International Cairo Programme of Action (ICPD) at the 52nd CPD, 1-5 April 2019.

UN Member States reaffirm their commitment to the ICPD Program of Action