Colourful graphic with text Joint civil society statement on abortion

Thanks President!

We make this statement on behalf of over 230 organisations and individuals.

The Vienna Declaration highlighted accountability as one of the linchpins of human rights systems; it is the reason many activists continue to engage with it. Yet, in many ways, the implementation, accountability gaps, and complicity cannot be overlooked.

To commemorate the International Safe Abortion Day, we recall some fundamental principles of reproductive justice, namely, to analyse power systems, address intersectional discrimination and the root causes of discrimination and oppression and centre the most marginalised1. The impunity for the ongoing genocide in Gaza perpetrated by Israel, with the silence and complicity of many Western States and for the mass atrocities in Sudan, DRC are a collective failure of accountability from multilateral systems everywhere. We reiterate the call by the Palestinian feminist collective to end the reproductive genocide in Gaza2 and feminist demands to end the culture of impunity that perpetuates sexual violence crimes3.

The data is available and known to all of us. The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem and Israel has found that the occupying power has, inter alia, targeted reproductive health care facilities, used starvation and menstrual harms, blocked access to reproductive health care, in addition to perpetrating horrifying acts of sexual and reproductive violence, killing and maiming Palestinians in its campaign of reproductive genocide. An unprecedented number of miscarriages, emergency C-sections and hysterectomies are reported, showing stark increase in infant mortality and maternal mortality rates. 

While in Sudan, by September 2024, the attacks on healthcare facilities surpassed 100 incidents and in January 2025, the only functioning hospital in Al-Fasher city, the capital of North Darfur, was attacked by the RSF militia. As of March 2025, more than two-thirds of hospitals in the conflict-affected areas in Sudan were out of service due to supply shortages, insecurity and bombardment. Women and girls have faced alarming levels of sexual violence since the beginning of the war and several reports documented sexual slavery, and even mass disappearances. A very limited number of women have had access to medical support in the case of sexual violence, we recognise that some victims of rape have had access to abortion such as in Al-Jazirah state, however, this remains the exception rather than the norm. In most conflict-affected areas, women and girls who become pregnant after rape are forced to carry pregnancies against their will due to the lack of institutions and service centers from the police stations and courts that provide them with documentation which acts as a permit to access hospitals that are mostly not operational, exposing them to unsafe abortion practices and life-threatening complications. We therefore call for urgent gender justice measures to guarantee safe, legal, and stigma-free abortion for survivors of rape in Sudan, as well as humanitarian interventions to ensure access to life-saving essential reproductive healthcare even in besieged areas.

Yet, at the Human Rights Council, we still see some Western States hide their complicity and violations, instrumentalising their so-called championing of gender equality and SRHR to avoid being held accountable to their double standard in respecting and applying international law and posturing and often behind SRHR language while debating terminology on ‘genocide’ to avoid accountability. Human rights cannot be universal without an end to the colonial apartheid regime and accountability for the ongoing colonialism and imperialism. Activists, human rights defenders and people are calling for action. We call on states to act NOW under their human rights and humanitarian law obligations, especially to protect civilians while their action can still make a difference. 

 

Signatories:

 

Organisations:

  1. Abortion Access Campaign

  2. Abortion Rights Campaign

  3. Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

  4. Aborto Libre Puerto Rico

  5. Accountability International 

  6. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

  7. Action for Choice 

  8. Actions Communautaires pour le Développement de la Femme (ACODEFEM)

  9. Active Help Organization

  10. ADEM ASOCIACIÓN POR LOS DERECHOS DE LAS MUJERES 

  11. African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI)

  12. African Youth Safe Abortion Alliance (AYOSA)

  13. Afrikagrupperna

  14. Akãhatã

  15. Alliance for Choice Belfast

  16. Alliance For Future Generations Fiji

  17. ALTSEAN-Burma

  18. American Association of Jurists (AAJ)

  19. AMODEFA

  20. AMREF Health Africa

  21. Aramızda Toplumsal Cinsiyet Araştırmaları Derneği

  22. Ashar Alo Society (AAS) Bangladesh

  23. Ashar Alo Youth Welfare Association 

  24. Ashar Prodeep (AP)

  25. Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

  26. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)

  27. Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW)

  28. Asociación  Por Ti Mujer

  29. Asociacion Ciudadana por los Derechos Humanos 

  30. Asociación feminista trans afet 

  31. Asociación Red de Jóvenes para la Incidencia Política -INCIDEJOVEN-

  32. Associação Moçambicana para o desenvolvimento da família-AMODEFA

  33. Associate of Karenni Policy Support

  34. Association Congolaise pour les Droits et la Santé (ACDS)

  35. Association for Struggle Against Sexual Violence 

  36. ASTRA Network

  37. AWID

  38. Badabon Sangho

  39. BAS, Abotak!

  40. Basilwizi 

  41. Batambá Batucada 

  42. Bedari

  43. BNKS 

  44. Bundibugyo Young Mothers and Adolescents Initiative ( BYMI)

  45. Campanha Nem Presa Nem Morta

  46. Canadian Association of Midwives

  47. Caribbean Alliance of Sex workers 

  48. Center for Sustainable Community Develop 

  49. Centre de santé des femmes de Montréal

  50. Centre for Civil Initiatives Porec

  51. Centre for Girls and Interaction (CEGI)

  52. Centre for Solutions Journalism

  53. Centre for Women’s Development and Research 

  54. Centro de asesoría y acompañamiento para la autonomía de las mujeres Siempreviva AC

  55. Centro de Derechos de Mujeres, CDM

  56. Centro de promoción de la mujer Gregoria Apaza

  57. Centro de promoción en salud y asistencia familiar CEPROSAF

  58. Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos - Promsex

  59. CLACAI, Consorcio Latinoamericano Contra el Aborto Inseguro

  60. Clinique des femmes de l'Outaouais

  61. CM88HN

  62. Co-Executive Director, HIV Legal Network

  63. Coalition for Sexual and Bodily Rights in Muslim Societies (CSBR)

  64. Coalition pour les Naissances Désirées - CND

  65. Colectiva Aborta con Amor

  66. Colectivo Genero y Teología para el Desarrollo

  67. Colectivo Mujeres Al Derecho-COLEMAD

  68. Community Care Collective

  69. Community of Organized and Empowered Lesbian and Bisexual women, Queer folks and Trans men in the Philippines or CONEQT PH

  70. Consortium for Intersectional Justice

  71. Coordinadora de la Mujer

  72. Corporaci

  73. CREA

  74. Dalit Nari Forum

  75. Ddeser Quintana Roo 

  76. Derechos Autonomías y Sexualidades

  77. Di RAMONA

  78. DianaT

  79. DISABILITY PEOPLES FORUM UGANDA

  80. Disability Pride Bangladesh 

  81. Disabled Women Ireland

  82. Dutch CEDAW Network

  83. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

  84. equal life association / eşit yaşam derneği

  85. Equal Namibia

  86. Equality Bahamas

  87. Equality Myanmar

  88. Equidad de Género, Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia

  89. Fédération Laïque de Centres de Planning Familial

  90. Femena

  91. Feminism Romania Association

  92. Feminist Diplomacy Lab

  93. FIDH

  94. FILIA Center

  95. Fondation Ishiabwe Kithoko André, FONDIKA RDC 

  96. Fòs Feminista

  97. Fos Feminista Canada

  98. Foundation for Human Rights (FHR) - South Africa

  99. Foundation for Women and Family Planning FEDERA 

  100. Free Women Movement/ TJA

  101. Fundacion Arcoiris por el respeto a la diversidad sexual

  102. Fundacion Estudio e investigacion de la Mujer -FEIM_ 

  103. Fundación Mujeres en Igualdad

  104. Fundación Oriéntame

  105. Fundación para Estudio e investigación de la Mujer

  106. FUNDHEG

  107. Global Alliance against Traffic in Women

  108. Global Justice Center

  109. Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation

  110. Global Women's Health, Rights and Empowerment Initiative (GWHREI)

  111. Groupe d'Actions pour les Droits de la Femme (GADF)

  112. Groupe Tawhida Ben Cheikh

  113. Grupo Curumim 

  114. Halifax Sexual Health Centre

  115. Hashiya Socio-Legal Centre for Women

  116. Her Rights Initiative

  117. HPLGBT

  118. HUMAN RIGHTS FIRST RWANDA ASSOCIATION

  119. Humanists International

  120. Humanitarian Enhancement Aid for Resilient Transformation-HEART

  121. Hymn Trust 

  122. ILGA World

  123. IncluPsi

  124. inroads

  125. International Campaign for Women's Rights to Safe Abortion

  126. International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA)

  127. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

  128. International Women’s Fund Azerbaijan 

  129. International Women's Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific (IWRAW Asia Pacific)

  130. International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP)

  131. Ipas

  132. IPPF

  133. Irish Family Planning Association

  134. Jago Nari Unnayon Songstha (JNUS)

  135. Jeunes Filles Engagées pour le Changement

  136. Jharkhand Gramin Vikas Trust 

  137. JOICFP (Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning)

  138. Just Futures Collaborative

  139. Justice and Economic Empowerment for Women and Girls Foundation Uganda JEEWAG 

  140. Justicia Feminist Network

  141. KAANI ASSISTANCE

  142. Kadın Dayanışma Vakfı

  143. KENYA POVERTY ELIMINATION NEWTROK (K-PEN)

  144. Kolektyw Kamelia (Sex Workers' Rights Collective)

  145. La Verità Onlus - International Diplomacy 

  146. LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NIGERIA NILOWV

  147. Libres y autónomas Chihuahua 

  148. Lokdeep Mutual Benefit Trust Pune INDIA

  149. Manushya Foundation 

  150. Mareas Indomitas Michoacán

  151. Me cuidan mis amigxs 

  152. Men's Association for Gender Equality Sierra Leone (MAGE SL)

  153. MenEngage Global Alliance

  154. Miles Chile

  155. Mor Salkım Women's Solidarity Assocation

  156. Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples (MRAP)

  157. Movimiento Manuela Ramos

  158. MSF 

  159. Muslims for Progressive Values

  160. Nalafem Sudan Taskforce

  161. NARI MAITREE

  162. National Indigenous Women Forum (NIWF)

  163. Network for Adolescent and Youth of Africa 

  164. Neuro Pride Ireland

  165. NGO-Koordination post Beijing Schweiz

  166. Nice foundation 

  167. Nirantar 

  168. Noboprobhaat Foundation

  169. North York Women's Centre

  170. Observadoras Ley de Aborto 

  171. Observatorio de los Derechos sexuales y reproductivos de las personas con discapacidad. ODISEX PERU

  172. OCASI - Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

  173. Oceania Pride

  174. Organisation Féministe MARIJÀN (OFMA)

  175. Pathchola Foundation for LGBTIQAPH+ and Sex Workers Rights in Bangladesh

  176. PLHIV Network(PN+)

  177. Prerona

  178. Programme d'Actions pour le Développement au Congo asbl et (PADCO asbl) asbl

  179. Public association

  180. Public association "Ameliya "

  181. RAÍCES, Análisis de Género para el Desarrollo 

  182. Raise Your Voice CBO 

  183. Realizing Sexual and Reproductive Justice 

  184. Red de Médicas por el Derecho a Decidir - México

  185. REDE NACIONAL FEMINISTA DE SAÚDE, DIREITOS SEXUAIS E DIREITOS REPRODUTIVOS-RFS (BRASIL)

  186. REDI Red por los derechos de las personas con Discapacidad 

  187. Regroupement Les sages-femmes du Québec

  188. Repro Justice Congo

  189. Resistencia Feminista por la Igualdad Sustantiva Yucatán 

  190. Resource Center For Women & Girls

  191. RSMLAC - Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas y del Caribe 

  192. Rural Area Development Programme (RADP)

  193. Rutgers 

  194. Safe Abortion Advocacy Initiative - A Global South Engagement (SAIGE)

  195. Safehold Legacy Homes 

  196. SekswerkExpertise

  197. SERES

  198. SERVICIOS PARA UN DESARROLLO ALTERNATIVO DEL SUR

  199. Sex og Politikk (IPPF Norway)

  200. Sex Workers Network

  201. Sex Workers’ Rights Advocacy Network (SWAN)

  202. Sexual & Reproductive Justice Coalition

  203. Sexual Rights Initiative

  204. Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, national organisation

  205. Shonirvor Mohila Sangtha (SHOW)

  206. Sociedade Portuguesa da Contraceção (SPDC)

  207. Solidarité des Jeunes Filles pour l'éducation et l'intégration socio-professionnelle, SOJFEP 

  208. South Asian Women's Rights Organization

  209. Success Capital Africa

  210. Sukaar Welfare Organization 

  211. Supporting People and Rebuilding Communities- SPaRC

  212. Sustainable Human Empowerment (SHE) Associates Inc. 

  213. Synergía - Initiatives for human rights 

  214. The Community Agenda

  215. The Community Health Rights Network. 

  216. The Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in South West Asia and North Africa (WHRDMENA)

  217. Times Change Women's Employment Service

  218. Uganda Network of Sex Worker-Led Organistions (UNESO)

  219. UNASSE, A.C.

  220. United Funding and Development for Underage Mothers (UFDUM), Inc.

  221. URGENT Foundation 

  222. Väestöliitto

  223. Vasera 

  224. Vecinas Feministas por la Justicia Sexual y Reproductiva en América Latina

  225. Viera Women  Empowerment  Association 

  226. Vision GRAM-International

  227. WILPF UK

  228. Women and Modern World Social Charitable Center – CWMW -Azerbaijan

  229. Women Deliver

  230. Women Empowerment Against Poverty of Nepal (WEAPoN)

  231. Women for Women's Human Rights - New Ways

  232. women house development center

  233. Women Human Rights Defeders International Coalition

  234. Women on Web

  235. Women Working Group (WWG)

  236. Women's Centre for Social Justice - WomenatthecentrE

  237. Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights Africa

  238. Women's Health in Women's Hands CHC

  239. Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice

  240. Women's Multicultural Resource & Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCC)

  241. Woodhull Freedom Foundation

  242. YIELD Hub

  243. Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights

  244. Youth For Change Bangladesh Foundation

  245. Zamara Foundation

  246. التحالف الإقليمي للمدافعات عن حقوق الإنسان في جنوب غرب آسيا وشمال أفريقيا (WHRDMENA)

  247. مؤسسة المرأة الجديدة 

  248. مؤسسة قضايا المرأة المصرية Center for Egyptian Women's Legal Assistance (CEWLA)

  249. দলিত নারী ফোরাম

 

Individuals

  1. Ada Yee

  2. Adriana Oliveira

  3. Ailbhe Smyth

  4. Aimee Isabel Hernandez Valiente

  5. Áine Beattie

  6. Aleksandar Dimitrijevic

  7. Alexandra Bieber

  8. alexis mackenzie

  9. Alice Apostoly

  10. ALICIA TATE

  11. Alicia  Wallace

  12. Alka kumari Sinha

  13. Anbreen Ajaib

  14. Andrea Rosales

  15. Anisha Sapkota

  16. Anja Hunsinger

  17. Ann Ndegwa

  18. Anna Glover

  19. Anne Lim

  20. anne emmanuèle HASSAIRI

  21. Asha Permanand

  22. Ashley McKay

  23. Aunjrya Fleming

  24. Ayla Büntjen Martínez

  25. Bade Başer

  26. Barbara Crane

  27. Barbara Zisi

  28. Bernard Bezzina

  29. Brinda Adige

  30. Casey O'Connor

  31. Cat Hayes

  32. Chevy  Solis

  33. Cindy Ngo

  34. CJ Blennerhassett

  35. Claire Horn

  36. CLAIRE READING ZOMBO

  37. Cynthia  Rothschild 

  38. Daniela Zelaya Raudales

  39. Daphne Lagrou

  40. Dayanidas  Sudhakar 

  41. Deborah  Hollis

  42. dette mc loughlin

  43. Devi Krieger

  44. Digamber Kumar

  45. Doris Kathia

  46. Dumiso Gatsha

  47. Eileen Florence Brown

  48. Elena Lopez

  49. Elīza Romānova

  50. Elizabeth  Schreur 

  51. Elsa  Schvartzman 

  52. Elsa  Conde Rodríguez

  53. Emma Pedley

  54. Emmie Wienhoven

  55. Erika Yamada Kubo

  56. Erin Woodward

  57. Esra Sertel

  58. Esther  Enyolu

  59. Evelyn Violini

  60. Farida Begum

  61. Felicitas Rossi

  62. Fezel Nizam

  63. Fiona McOwan

  64. Fumi Suzuki

  65. Gabriele  Gallo

  66. Gamze Özkök

  67. Gigi Marie Garcia

  68. Giscard  Mukucha 

  69. Guilherme Francisco Mutarica

  70. Guizani Kaouther

  71. Gülay Toksöz

  72. Habibe Feray Salman

  73. Halima  Ejaz 

  74. Hanne Friis

  75. Hanneke Moors

  76. Hazal Sipahi

  77. HAZEL BIRUNGI

  78. Hediye Gökçe  Baykal

  79. Helen Martins

  80. Hilal Tekmen

  81. İlkay Alptekin Demir

  82. J8 Drożdżewicz 

  83. Jacqueline Pitanguy

  84. Janefer Natukunda  Tushabe

  85. Jannah Falcunitin 

  86. Jarjan  Fisher 

  87. Jean Nkeshimana

  88. jean Paul  nkenga 

  89. Jeanne Conry

  90. Jennifer  Joones

  91. Jessa Millar

  92. Jessica Edmonds

  93. Judite Amaral 

  94. Kale Penny

  95. Karen Odette  Ortega Aguilar

  96. Karina Beatriz Trujillo

  97. Laura  Triviño Duran

  98. Lauren Bowler

  99. Lesby Abigail  González Merlo 

  100. Ligia Destephen

  101. Lisa Majumdar

  102. Litiana Lagibalavu

  103. Louise Hemfrey

  104. LUCIE CARLINI SIEGEL

  105. Luisa María Gómez del Águila

  106. Luna Orikat

  107. Maartje Hoetjes

  108. Mahmuda  Ridee

  109. Marcia Leão

  110. Margaret Coe

  111. Margaret  Heneghan

  112. Maria  Moreno Rosel

  113. Maria  De Villa

  114. Maria Alicia Gutierrez

  115. Maria Edith  López Hernández 

  116. MARIA TERESA FERNANDEZ

  117. Marjan Wijers

  118. Martina Vasinova

  119. Matokgo  Makutoane

  120. Mayra Morales Aldaz

  121. Mayumi Katsube

  122. Mayur Kale

  123. Md Sanwar Hossain

  124. Meena Singh 

  125. Michael Bader

  126. Mikayla  Blackson

  127. Milan Kang

  128. Miranda  Gkanetsou 

  129. nahid amiri

  130. Naisola Likimani

  131. Nefer Isela  Mejía padilla 

  132. Nelly Staderini

  133. Nelly Bassily

  134. Nem Kearns

  135. Nicole Smith

  136. Noor Rijnberg

  137. Nora Dettmer

  138. Nuno Ferreira

  139. Pascale Alexandre

  140. Patrice Bowler

  141. Patricia Schulz

  142. Patricia  Iturralde

  143. Patricia  Golden 

  144. Phyllis  Cohen 

  145. Pilar Iglesias Aparicio

  146. Pilar  Cañadas Ruiz

  147. Pomi Moges

  148. Pooja  Badarinath

  149. Prabha Pandey

  150. Prabhakar Shrestha

  151. Rachel  Wilder

  152. Raewyn Stone

  153. Raffaela  Schiavon 

  154. Raynom Pitakaka

  155. Rosie Burton

  156. Runa Bruun

  157. Ruth Fletcher

  158. Sabrina Zebinger

  159. Samreen Hussain

  160. Sandy Calleja Portelli

  161. Sarah Rudrum

  162. Saskia Husken

  163. Semjidmaa Choijil

  164. Shimaa Tantawy

  165. Shubha Chacko

  166. Silvia Triviño Durán 

  167. Sissel Thorsdalen

  168. Stephanie van der Wijk

  169. Steven Okoloru 

  170. Sumie Asatori

  171. Sunayana Walia

  172. Susana Bartolomé

  173. tania lucia agosti

  174. Tanyaa Sharma

  175. Tatiane M. Amaral

  176. TK Pritchard

  177. Ubanu Marma

  178. Umar Weswala

  179. Ursula Nakamura

  180. Vicky Treacy-Wong

  181. Vinka  Lozica

  182. Violet  Tsikiwa

  183. Yvlien Christ Abner VOUVOUNGUI SIAMA

  184. آية  عبد الحميد 

  185. عزة  سليمان

  186. ندى نشأت

  187. वन्दना  शर्मा 

  188. মাহবুবা ইয়াসমিন 

    62 Anonymous individuals