Background Guide

Salwan MUN 2024

(UNCSW)
Agenda :- “Deliberation Upon Legalities of
Women's Abortion Rights”
Letter From Executive Board

It is an honor to moderate the United Nations commission on the status of women at Salwan Model UN
2024. This letter shall also serve as a concept note for the committee and our expectations from the
committee is to function. MUN’s as a concept are designed to be a simulation more than a conference. This
difference is inherent and more obvious in each country’s representation through their delegation. The head
of this delegation is usually a diplomat who is firstly representing the government and its goals and is
hence tasked with the responsibility of indulging other countries into their own goals and using diplomacy
effectively to achieve the aforementioned goals.

The end of the simulation then is different for each diplomat and it is the means to that end that shall define
the quality of the simulation. Apart from the simulation part, it is important to remember the inherent
limitations of every student in terms of using or applying international law or such. This then implies that it
is not necessary to indulge in highly technical discussions that ensure no learning to the delegate, it is rather
imperative that all discussions be integrated with logic that has been graciously been gifted to mankind
through our collective wisdom.

It is thus expected that this concept note also serves as a very important start point to the simulation and the
delegates are able to infer a lot more than what is shown as face value. The agenda has multiple facets and
can take a national or international viewpoint. For the benefit of the delegates and the quality of the
simulation, the background guide shall give small introductions and an important start-point to your
research.

All the Best Everyone!

Sincerely,
The Executive Board
Points To Remember

1. Procedure:
The purpose of putting procedural rules in any committee is to ensure a more organized and
efficient debate. The committee will follow the UNA USA Rules of Procedure. Although the
Executive Board shall be fairly strict with the Rules of Procedure, the discussion of the
agenda will be the main priority. So, delegates are advised not to restrict their statements due
to hesitation regarding the procedure.

2. Foreign Policy:
Following the foreign policy of one’s country is the most important aspect of a Model UN
Conference. This is what essentially differentiates a Model UN from other debating formats.
To violate one’s foreign policy without adequate reason is one of the worst mistakes a
delegate can make.

3. Role of the Executive Board:

The Executive Board is appointed to facilitate debate. The committee shall decide the
direction and flow of the debate. The delegates are the ones who constitute the committee
and hence must be uninhibited while presenting their opinions/stances on any issue.
However, the Executive Board may put forward questions and/or ask for clarifications at all
points in time to debate further and test participants.

4. Nature of Source/Evidence:

This Background Guide is meant solely for research purposes and must not be cited as
evidence to substantiate statements made during the conference. Evidence or proof for
substantiating statements made during the formal debate is acceptable from the following
sources:

United Nations: Documents and findings by the United Nations or any related UN body are
held as credible proof to support a claim or argument. Multilateral Organizations:
Documents from international organizations like OIC, NAFTA, SAARC, BRICS, EU,
ASEAN, the International Criminal Court, etc. may also be presented as credible sources of
information

Government Reports: These reports can be used in a similar way as the State Operated News
Agencies reports and can, in all circumstances, be denied by another country.
Please Note- Reports from NGOs working with UNESCO, UNICEF, and other UN bodies
will be accepted. Under no circumstances will sources like Wikipedia, or newspapers like
the Guardian, Times of India, etc. be accepted.

Valid Evidence In the Committee

Evidence or proof from the following sources will be accepted as credible by the UNCSW:

● State-operated News Agencies –

These reports can be used in support of or against the State that owns the News
Agency. These reports, if credible or substantial enough, can be used to support or
against any country as such but in that situation, they can be denied by any other
country in the council. Some examples are,
I.) RIA Novosti (Russia)
II.) IRNA (Iran)
III.) BBC & Reuters (United Kingdom)
IV.) Al Jazeera (Qatar)
V.) Xinhua News Agency (PR China)

● Government Reports -
These reports can be used in a similar way as the State Operated News Agencies
reports and can, in all circumstances, be denied by another country. However, a
nuance is that a report that is being denied by a certain country can still be accepted
by the Executive Board as credible information. Some examples are,
I.) Government Websites like the State Department of the United States of America
or the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
II.) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of various nations like India or the People’s
Republic of China
III.) Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Reports
IV.) Multilateral Organizations like the NATO

● United Nations Reports -

All UN Reports are considered credible information or evidence for the Executive
Board of the UNGA.
I) UN Bodies like the UNHRC, etc.
II) UN Affiliated Bodies like UNICEF, International Committee of the Red Cross,
etc. III) Treaty Bodies like the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
etc.
 Committee Overview

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is a principal global policy making body
dedicated to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women. It was established in 1946 by the
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is headquartered in New York City, USA.
The CSW plays a crucial role in promoting women's rights, monitoring progress, and formulating policies
to achieve gender equality worldwide. The CSW holds an annual two-week session at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York. During these sessions, representatives from member states, United Nations
entities, non governmental organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders gather to discuss and address
critical issues related to women's rights and gender equality.

NGOs play a significant role in the CSW's work by contributing their expertise, experiences, and
recommendations to the discussions. They often organize parallel events and side sessions during the
annual sessions to provide additional insights and perspectives. One of the most pivotal moments for the
CSW and the global women's rights movement was the Fourth World Conference on Women held in
Beijing, China, in 1995. During this conference, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action were
adopted, setting a comprehensive agenda for women's empowerment and gender equality. The Platform for
Action outlines 12 critical areas of concern and strategic objectives for achieving gender equality, including
women's health, education, economic empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women. The
CSW recognizes that women's reproductive health is an integral component of gender equality and
women's rights. It actively addresses issues related to reproductive health, including maternal health, family
planning, access to healthcare services, and harmful traditional practices.

The commission promotes the implementation of international agreements, such as the International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Program of Action and the SDGs, which highlight the
importance of reproductive health and women's rights. The United Nations Commission on the Status of
Women plays a crucial role in advancing women's rights and gender equality worldwide. Its commitment to
addressing critical issues, including women's reproductive health with a focus on socio-cultural practices, is
essential in creating a more inclusive and equitable world for all. Through cooperation, dialogue, and
collective efforts, the CSW strives to bring about positive change and transform the lives of women and
girls globally.

Mandate/Working of the Committee

Within its universal coverage, UN Women's mandate (GA resolution 64/289) is to lead, coordinate and
promote accountability of the UN system to deliver on gender equality and the empowerment of women
with the primary objective to enhance country-level coherence, ensure coordinated interventions and
secure positive impacts on the lives of women and girls, including those living in rural areas. UN Women is
also mandated to strengthen coherence between the global and regional intergovernmental processes and
operational activities in the field. UN Women's work is grounded in a rights-based approach and a long
standing relationship with the women's movement, gender-equality advocates, women's groups and
organizations as well as national women's machineries. As the convener on gender equality within the UN
system, UN-Women brings together partners to address a wide range of dimensions of rural development in
a holistic, coherent and coordinated manner. UN-Women will draw on its own expertise in the areas of
economic empowerment (including women's access to productive resources, such as land and finance and
to employment); women's political participation; gender responsive governance systems, institutions and
budgets, and aid effectiveness; human rights, women in the context of post-conflict settings, HIV/AIDS,
violence against women.
Agenda Overview
Introduction

Reproductive health is a fundamental human right and a critical aspect of gender equality and women's
empowerment. It encompasses the physical, emotional, and social well-being concerning all matters related
to the reproductive system including abortion rights throughout a person's life. However, various
socio-cultural practices, norms, and inequalities often act as barriers to women's reproductive health and
rights, affecting their access to essential services, information, and decision-making.

Statement by UNW: Reproductive rights are women’s rights and human rights; specify that - Reproductive
rights are integral to women’s rights, a fact that is upheld by international agreements and reflected in law in
different parts of the world. To be able to exercise their human rights and make essential decisions, women
need to be able to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have
access to information, education, and services. When safe and legal access to abortion is restricted, women
are forced to resort to less-safe methods, too often with damaging or disastrous results—especially for
women who are affected by poverty or marginalization, including minority women. The ability of women to
control what happens to their own bodies is also associated with the roles women are able to play in society,
whether as a member of the family, the workforce, or government. The United Nations Commission on the
Status of Women (CSW) places significant emphasis on women's reproductive health as a fundamental
human right and an essential aspect of gender equality underlining a women's bodily autonomy.
Reproductive health encompasses the overall well-being of women, including their physical, mental, and
social health, throughout their reproductive years and beyond. The CSW acknowledges that ensuring
women's reproductive health and rights is critical for achieving sustainable development, poverty reduction,
and the empowerment of women and girls worldwide. The Programme of Action of the 1994 International
Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) broadly defined reproductive health to include all
matters relating to the well-being of the reproductive system and its functions and processes. It envisioned
that every sexual interaction should be free of coercion and infection, every pregnancy should be intended,
and every delivery and childbirth should be healthy. The Programme of Action emphasized the rights of all
couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children,
the right to information and access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of family planning
of their choice, as well as the right of access to appropriate health-care services that ensured safe and healthy
pregnancy and childbirth. The Programme of Action underscored the importance of preventing and
managing unsafe abortions and providing services for safe abortion where it is not against the law. It also
urged Governments to prioritize the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, so as to eliminate the need for
abortion. It called upon all Governments and relevant organizations to “deal with the health impact of unsafe
abortion as a major public health concern” and stated that “[i]n all cases, women should have access to
quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion”. Since the ICPD, many
Governments have modified legal provisions for abortion and strengthened programmes to provide safe
abortion services and post-abortion care, as well as adopted a variety of policies and programmes to
improve reproductive health services and outcomes.

Points to Note:

• Between 1996 and 2013, the percentage of Governments permitting abortion increased gradually for all
legal grounds, except to save a woman’s life which remained at 97 per cent. Despite overall expansion in the
legal grounds for abortion, policies remain restrictive in many countries.

• In about two thirds of countries in 2013, abortion was permitted when the physical or mental health of the
mother was endangered, and only in half of the countries when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest or
in cases of foetal impairment. Only about one third of countries permitted abortion for economic or social
reasons or on request.

• Since 1996, legal grounds for abortion have expanded in a growing number of countries in both
developing and developed regions, but abortion policies remain much more restrictive in countries of the
developing regions.

• Governments in developing regions were more than four times as likely to have restrictive abortion
policies as those in developed regions. In 2013, 82 percent of Governments in developed regions permitted
abortion for economic or social reasons and 71 percent allowed abortion on request. In contrast, only 20
percent of Governments in developing regions permitted abortion for economic or social reasons and only
16 per cent allowed it on request.

• In recent years, many Governments have implemented measures to improve access to safe abortion
services to the extent of the law. Out of 145 countries with available data in 2012, Governments of 87
countries (60 percent) had implemented concrete measures to improve access to safe abortion services in the
past five years.

• With ever-declining fertility levels, a growing number of Governments have adopted policies to raise
fertility. The percentage of Governments with policies to raise fertility has almost doubled from 14 per cent
in 1996 to 27 per cent in 2013, whereas the percentage of Governments with policies to lower fertility has
remained virtually unchanged from 42 per cent in 1996 to 43 per cent in 2013.

• A growing number of Governments have expressed concern about high rates of adolescent fertility. The
percentage of Governments identifying adolescent fertility as a major concern has risen steadily, from 46 per
cent in 1996 to 67 per cent in 2013.

• Governments have increasingly adopted policies to reduce adolescent birth rates. Of the 195 countries with
information available in 2013, 90 per cent of Governments had adopted policies and programmes to reduce
adolescent fertility, up from 60 per cent in 1996.
• Out of 172 countries with available data in 2012, Governments of 152 countries (88 per cent) had
implemented concrete measures to increase women’s access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive
health services in the past five years, regardless of marital status and age.

• In 2013, among 195 countries with available data, all but 10 Governments (95 per cent) had adopted some
legal measures or policies to prevent domestic violence, including 78 per cent having legal measures, 90 per
cent having policies and 73 per cent having both legal measures and policies.

• Maternal mortality has been declining, but Governments of most countries in developing regions continue
to view their levels as unacceptable. In 2013, three out of four Governments in developing regions
considered their level of maternal mortality as unacceptable, compared with less than one out of four
Governments in developed regions.

• Fertility rates are significantly higher in countries with restrictive abortion policies. The average
adolescent birth rate in countries with restrictive abortion policies in 2013 was about three times greater (69
births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years) than in countries with liberal abortion policies (24 births per
1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years). The average total fertility rate in countries with restrictive abortion
policies in 2013 was also significantly higher (3.22 children per woman) than in countries with liberal
abortion policies (1.97 children per woman).

• Countries with restrictive abortion policies have much higher unsafe abortion rates. The average unsafe
abortion rate was more than four times greater in countries with restrictive abortion policies in 2011 (26.7
unsafe abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years) than in countries with liberal abortion policies (6.1
unsafe abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44 years).

• Countries with restrictive abortion policies have much higher levels of maternal mortality. The average
maternal mortality ratio was three times greater in countries with restrictive abortion policies in 2013 (223
maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) than in countries with liberal abortion policies (77 maternal deaths
per 100,000 live births).
 Objectives of this committee

The primary mandate of the CSW is to promote gender equality and the advancement of women in all
spheres of life. It seeks to eliminate discrimination and violence against women, ensure equal access to
opportunities and resources, and promote the active participation of women in decision-making processes.

The key objectives of the CSW include:

1. Policy Formulation: The CSW formulates policies and recommendations to advance gender equality and
women's rights, addressing various issues affecting women globally.

2. Review and Appraisal: The commission monitors the implementation of international commitments
related to women's rights, including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

3. Advocacy and Awareness: The CSW advocates for gender equality and raises awareness about women's
rights issues to mobilize support and action at national and international levels.

4. Knowledge Sharing and Capacity Building: The commission facilitates knowledge sharing and capacity
building among member states to improve their efforts in promoting gender equality and empowering
women.

Role in Advancing Women's Reproductive Health

The CSW recognizes that women's reproductive health is an integral component of gender equality and
women's rights. It actively addresses issues related to reproductive health, including maternal health, family
planning, access to healthcare services, and harmful traditional practices. The commission promotes the
implementation of international agreements, such as the International Conference on Population and
Development (ICPD) Program of Action and the SDGs, which highlight the importance of reproductive
health and women's rights.

The United Nations has long recognized the importance of women's reproductive health and rights as a
crucial component of gender equality and human rights. It advocates for a comprehensive approach to
address reproductive health challenges, taking into account the impact of socio-cultural practices on
women's well-being. Here are some key aspects of the UN's perspective on women's reproductive health:

1. Human Rights Framework: The UN views reproductive health as a human right, encompassing the right
to make informed choices about one's reproductive life, access to essential healthcare services, and freedom
from discrimination and violence. The right to reproductive health is recognized in various international
human rights agreements and declarations.
2. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
includes Goal 3, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well being for all. Target 3.7
specifically addresses sexual and reproductive health and rights, aiming to provide universal access to
sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including family planning, information, and education. Target
5.6 of SDG 5 (Gender Equality) also deals with ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health
and reproductive rights.

3. International Agreements: The UN promotes the implementation of international agreements that

emphasize women's reproductive health and rights. These include the Beijing Declaration and Platform for
Action (1995), which outlines strategies to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women,
including the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights.

4. Universal Access to Reproductive Healthcare: The UN advocates for universal access to reproductive
healthcare services, including maternal healthcare, family planning, contraceptives, and safe abortion
services. This approach recognizes that comprehensive and accessible reproductive healthcare is essential
for women to exercise their reproductive rights and make informed decisions about their bodies and lives.

5. Combating Harmful Practices: The UN is committed to eliminating harmful practices that negatively
impact women's reproductive health, such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child
marriage. It works with member states and civil society to raise awareness, advocate for legal reforms, and
implement programs to combat these practices.

6. Gender Equality and Empowerment: Gender equality is central to the UN's approach to reproductive
health. The organization emphasizes the importance of empowering women and girls to take control of their
reproductive choices, access healthcare services, and participate in decision-making processes.

7. Strengthening Health Systems: The UN supports efforts to strengthen healthcare systems, particularly in
developing countries, to ensure the availability, affordability, and quality of reproductive healthcare
services. This includes training healthcare providers, improving infrastructure, and increasing the
availability of essential medicines and contraceptives.

8. Comprehensive Sexual Education: The UN promotes comprehensive sexual education that addresses
reproductive health, gender equality, and human rights. This education aims to empower young people with
accurate information about their bodies, relationships, and reproductive choices.

9. Data Collection and Monitoring: The UN emphasizes the importance of data collection and monitoring
to track progress in improving women's reproductive health. It encourages member states to collect
disaggregated data to understand the specific needs and challenges faced by different groups of women.
Legalities:
1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) - 1948

● Relevant Articles:
○ Article 1: Recognizes the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family.
○ Article 3: Right to life, liberty, and security of person.
○ Article 25: Right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being,
including medical care.

While not directly addressing abortion, the UDHR forms the foundation for discussions on
bodily autonomy and women's reproductive rights.

2. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - 1966

● Relevant Articles:
○ Article 6: Right to life.
○ Article 17: Protection from arbitrary interference with privacy.

The right to life in Article 6 is sometimes interpreted to involve discussions on abortion,

particularly around when life begins, while Article 17 relates to reproductive autonomy and
the right to private life.

3. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

(ICESCR) - 1966

● Relevant Articles:
○ Article 12: Right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental
health, which has been interpreted by UN committees to include sexual and
reproductive health services, including abortion.

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) has interpreted this
article to include access to safe and legal abortion services and the right to reproductive
health care.

4. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against

Women (CEDAW) - 1979

● Relevant Articles:
 ○ Article 12: Requires states to take measures to eliminate discrimination
against women in health care services, ensuring access to family planning
and reproductive health services.
○ Article 16: Ensures women's equal rights in marriage, family relations, and
decision-making regarding the number and spacing of children.

The CEDAW Committee has interpreted these provisions to mean that states must ensure
access to abortion where it is legal, and eliminate barriers to reproductive healthcare,
including criminalization of abortion.

5. Declaration and Programme of Action of the International Conference

on Population and Development (ICPD) - 1994

● The ICPD Programme of Action affirmed that reproductive rights are integral to
women's human rights. It called on governments to ensure safe and accessible
abortion where it is not against the law, and to work to reduce the need for abortion
through family planning services.
● Chapter 7.3: Specifically addresses the reproductive rights of women and the
necessity for countries to ensure the provision of appropriate healthcare services,
including abortion, in a manner that respects women’s rights and health.

6. Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action - 1995

● Strategic Objective C.1: Calls for the promotion of women’s health and addressing
inequalities, including access to sexual and reproductive healthcare.
● Paragraph 106 (k): Urges governments to consider reviewing punitive measures for
women who undergo illegal abortions.
● This document emphasizes the importance of access to comprehensive sexual and
reproductive health services as essential to women's rights.

7. Maputo Protocol (Protocol to the African Charter on Human and

Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa) - 2003

● Relevant Article:
○ Article 14(2)(c): States that women have the right to control their fertility
and decide on their pregnancies, including access to medical abortion in cases
of sexual assault, rape, incest, or where the pregnancy endangers the mental
and physical health of the mother or the life of the fetus.

This is one of the most progressive international legal instruments on abortion rights,
directly providing for the right to safe abortion under specified conditions.
8. General Comment No. 22 on the Right to Sexual and Reproductive
Health (Article 12 of the ICESCR) - 2016

● This comment, adopted by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights, highlights that the right to sexual and reproductive health includes access to
safe abortion services and emphasizes that criminalizing abortion, imposing punitive
measures on women, or restricting access to abortion is a violation of their rights
under the ICESCR.

9. UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) - Various Resolutions

● The UNHRC has passed several resolutions on women's rights, including access to
healthcare and reproductive rights. For example:
○ Resolution 11/8 (2009) on maternal mortality recognizes that restrictive
abortion laws can have severe health impacts and impede women’s rights to
health.

10. General Comment No. 36 (on Article 6 of the ICCPR) - 2018

● Adopted by the Human Rights Committee, this comment clarifies that Article 6
(right to life) must include access to safe abortion where carrying a pregnancy to
term would cause substantial pain or suffering, particularly in cases where the
pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, or when the fetus suffers from fatal
impairments.

11. Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health

(2016-2030) - WHO and UN

● This strategy emphasizes the need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive
healthcare, including access to abortion where legal, as essential for women’s health
and rights.

12. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - 2015

● Goal 3: Good health and well-being includes a target to ensure universal access to
sexual and reproductive health services.
● Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, which includes
access to reproductive health as a key component of gender equality.
13. Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) General Comment No. 20
(2016)

● Recognizes adolescents' right to reproductive health services, including abortion, and

calls for states to ensure access to safe abortion services to avoid unsafe procedures
that jeopardize adolescent health.

14. European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Case Law

● The ECHR has ruled in several cases (e.g., Tysiąc v. Poland, A, B and C v. Ireland)
on abortion rights, focusing on access to safe abortion and the state's obligation to
protect women's health and private lives.

15. Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR)

● The IACHR has also addressed reproductive rights, ruling that restrictive abortion
laws violate the rights to health, life, and dignity, particularly in cases where a
pregnancy threatens the woman’s life or health (e.g., Artavia Murillo et al. v. Costa
Rica).
Case studies

1. Case Study: Ireland’s Repeal of the Eighth Amendment (2018)

● Aspect: Legal reform and the right to bodily autonomy.

● Context: Ireland’s abortion law was historically one of the most restrictive in
Europe. The Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution (1983) gave equal right to
life to the mother and the unborn, effectively banning abortion in almost all
circumstances.
● Key Event: In 2012, the death of Savita Halappanavar, a woman who was denied a
life-saving abortion despite experiencing a miscarriage, sparked widespread outrage.
Her death highlighted the dangers of restrictive abortion laws that prioritize the fetus
over the mother's health and led to a national conversation about women’s
reproductive rights.
● Outcome: A national referendum was held in May 2018, where 66.4% of voters
chose to repeal the Eighth Amendment. This led to the enactment of the Health
(Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, which legalized abortion up
to 12 weeks of pregnancy and in cases where the mother's life or health is at risk or if
the fetus is diagnosed with a fatal abnormality.
● Significance: The case illustrates the intersection of legal reform, women’s right to
health, and public advocacy. It also underscores how restrictive abortion laws can
endanger women's lives and how public pressure can lead to significant changes in
legal frameworks.

2. Case Study: Poland’s Abortion Law and Protests (2020)

● Aspect: Impact of restrictive laws on reproductive rights and public opposition.

● Context: Poland already had one of the most restrictive abortion laws in Europe,
allowing the procedure only in cases of rape, incest, threat to the mother's life, or
severe fetal impairment. In October 2020, the Constitutional Tribunal of Poland
ruled that abortion in cases of fetal defects was unconstitutional, essentially banning
abortion in almost all circumstances.
● Key Event: This ruling triggered the largest protests in Poland since the fall of
communism, known as the “Women's Strike”. Thousands of women and allies
protested the decision, arguing that it violated women’s right to autonomy, health,
and privacy. The ruling also forced women seeking abortion care to travel to other
countries or undergo unsafe procedures.
 ● Outcome: Despite the protests, the government proceeded with enforcing the ruling
in January 2021. However, the strong public opposition and international criticism
have continued, with activists calling for broader reproductive rights.
● Significance: This case highlights how restrictive laws can lead to significant
human rights violations, including the denial of healthcare, bodily autonomy, and
women’s rights to choose. It also underscores the power of public protest in
advocating for reproductive rights despite legal setbacks.

3. Case Study: Mexico’s Supreme Court Decriminalizes Abortion (2021)

● Aspect: Role of judicial decisions in advancing reproductive rights.

● Context: Abortion was long criminalized in most Mexican states, with women
facing legal consequences for seeking or providing the procedure. The law
disproportionately affected low-income women, who lacked the means to travel to
states where abortion was legal (e.g., Mexico City and Oaxaca).
● Key Event: In September 2021, the Supreme Court of Mexico issued a landmark
ruling that declared criminalizing abortion unconstitutional. The ruling came after a
challenge to the abortion law in Coahuila, a northern state. The Court unanimously
held that penalizing women for seeking an abortion violated their constitutional
rights, including the right to personal autonomy and reproductive health.
● Outcome: The ruling did not automatically legalize abortion nationwide but required
states to decriminalize the procedure and stop prosecuting women and healthcare
providers involved in abortion. The decision also set a precedent for other states to
follow, significantly influencing legal changes across the country.
● Significance: This case underscores the role of the judiciary in safeguarding
reproductive rights. It also highlights the legal and socio-economic disparities that
exist in accessing abortion services, particularly for marginalized women. The case
serves as a crucial example of how courts can challenge outdated or unjust laws to
advance women's rights.