Sexual and reproductive rights and the human rights agenda: controversial and contested

This brief by Wanda Nowicka presents her experience and observations, as an advocate for women’s rights, of the last 20 years of struggles for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

She provides examples of how human rights related to sexual and reproductive health have been addressed in UN policy-setting bodies, such as the Commission on the Status of Women and Commission on Population and Development, as well as in the UN human rights system such as Treaty Monitoring Bodies and Human Rights Council. Given her work with European institutions, she provides examples of important decisions by the Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights. Lastly, she discusses growing opposition to a progressive human rights agenda and the universality of human rights.