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This paper – published by the Commissioner for Human Rights and the Council of Europe – addresses the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women in Europe. Despite considerable progress made in Europe in that direction, pervasive gender inequalities continue to affect women in Europe in all areas of life and often have profound effects on their sexual and reproductive rights. Laws, policies and practices in Europe still curtail and undermine women’s sexual and reproductive health, autonomy, dignity, integrity and decision making in serious ways. Moreover in recent years, resurgent threats have emerged in this field jeopardizing longstanding commitments to gender equality and women’s rights.
European states have the duty to take effective steps to respect and protect women’s sexual and reproductive rights. By “sexual and reproductive rights”, this paper refers to a body of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that are protected by international human rights law and standards, which include: the right to health, the right to life, the right to freedom from torture and ill-treatment and the right to privacy, equality and non-discrimination. This obliges member states to respect and ensure the enjoyment of all rights by women and girls on the basis of equality and provide them with accessible, affordable, good quality sexual and reproductive health care and services.
In recent decades European countries have made significant progress in their efforts to eliminate the restrictions, discrimination, coercion and violence that women face throughout their sexual and reproductive lives. Simultaneously, vast improvements have been made across Europe in the delivery, quality and accessibility of the many forms of sexual and reproductive health care that women need. Yet despite these important achievements, in many parts of Europe women’s sexual and reproductive health, autonomy, integrity and decision making remains threatened and violations of women’s sexual and reproductive rights continue.
Alongside the Commissioner’s recommendations, this report approaches the topic in three sections:
The report and its summary can be downloaded in English.
A webpage on Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Europe is available for further information.
For more information, please visit the website of the Commissioner for Human Rights and that of the Council of Europe.
Co-funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship
Programme of the European Union
