Category: United Nations

Twenty-five years after the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the foundational global document on gender equality, governments at an abbreviated session of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) have reaffirmed a commitment to gender equality but, according to leading feminist groups and activists, fell short of committing to the transformative steps necessary to achieve this vision. To address the gaps in the political declaration adopted at the CSW READ MORE

We present statements that the Federation for Women and Family Planning submitted during the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council. Details on resolutions, panels and debates relevant to SRHR can be found on the website of our partner Sexual Rights Initiative. Statement regarding the situation in Poland on the occasion of the International Women’s Day Thank you, Madam President. I deliver this statement on behalf of the Federation for Women and Family Planning. The READ MORE

“Critical gains despite backlash”, reads a joint statement by the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Sexual Rights Initiative, Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, Plan International, Choice for Youth and Sexuality, Arrow, the Coalition of African Lesbians, the Federation for Women and Family Planning, IPPF, RFSU and AWID on the outcome of the 41st session of the Human Rights Council. Download in a PDF file Despite concerted opposition by some States and anti-rights organizations READ MORE

Federation for Women and Family Planning, Women Enabled International, Magdalena Szarota (Lancaster University and Association of Disabled Women. ONE.pl) and independent researchers Agnieszka Król and Agnieszka Wołowicz respectfully present this submission to the Committee against Torture due to its review of Poland’s compliance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Supplemental Information on Poland for the Review by the Committee against Torture in a PDF file The Federation for READ MORE

Kindly find below and attached herewith a joint statement by the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Sexual Rights Initiative, Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, CREA, Women Enabled International, Arrow, the Coalition of African Lesbians, the Federation for Women and Family Planning and Akahatá on the outcome of the 40th session of the Human Rights Council. We applaud South Africa’s leadership in bringing forth a resolution on discrimination against women and girls in sports READ MORE

Feminist persistence at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) has delivered new international standards on women’s human rights to social protection systems, access to public services, and sustainable infrastructure. These gains were achieved in spite of the increasingly polarised political environment at the UN’s biggest annual gathering on women’s rights. “In the face of extreme pressure and cyber-bullying, the majority of delegations stood strong in defence of women’s human rights. What we’ve READ MORE

This statement was delivered at the 40th session of the Human Right Council by the Federation for Women and Family Planning on behalf of the Great Coalition for Equality and Choice from Poland. The statements refers to the report by the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights “Cultural rights: tenth anniversary report“. We welcome the tenth anniversary report and strategies for advancing cultural rights for the next decade presented by the Special Rapporteur READ MORE

This is a statement of the Federation for Women and Family Planning on behalf of the Great Coalition for Equality and Choice from Poland. It was delivered at the 39th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 24th in support of the September 28 Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. We welcome the report of the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and in READ MORE

This joint statement expresses support for the Working Group on Discrimination Against Women in Law and in Practice and commends the Working Group’s strong report to the Council on reasserting equality and countering rollbacks [A /HRC/38/46] Co-signatories: Center for Reproductive Rights, RFSU, IPPF, SRI, The Federation for Women and Family Planning, ASTRA Network, Plan International, AWID. The signatories commend the Working Group for its fruitful labour since the inception of its mandate. Over the years, READ MORE

The Federation for Women and Family Planning with its partners and allies from Central and Eastern Europe welcomes the theme of fifty-first session of the Commission on Population and Development: “Sustainable cities, human mobility and international migration” (9-13.04.2018). Statement for the 51 session of the Commission on Population and Development in a PDF file In the world’s rapidly growing urban spaces, international migrants represent a critical mass. We would like to highlight the issue of READ MORE

The Federation for Women and Family Planning welcomes the sixty-second session of the Commission on the Status of Women (12-23.03.208) and its priority theme of “Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls”. Statement in a PDF file Central and Eastern European region serves as an example of remaining challenges in progress concerning achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls, particularly in the area READ MORE

The ongoing battle around fundamental reproductive rights in Poland becomes even more fierce. Government’s attempts to criminalize abortions and make one of the toughest anti-abortion laws even stricter are expressed in its statement delivered to the Human Rights Committee. Polish non-governmental organizations are deeply concerned about the official remarks to the General Comment No 36 on article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the right to life. The General Comments READ MORE