Sexual and Reproductive Rights

• Sexual and reproductive rights gained attention after investigations of maternal and child deaths.

Presentation Plan

• Includes international documents on reproductive and sexual health rights.
• Concerns the International Federation of Family Planning's Declaration of Reproductive Rights.
• Includes notes on legal regulations on reproductive and sexual health.

Reproductive Health

• Encompasses the absence of disease and disability, as well as complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
• Aims to enable a satisfying and safe sex life, the ability to reproduce, and the freedom to make reproductive decisions without violence or discrimination.

Reproductive Rights

• Provides care and counseling for reproductive and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Enriches life and personal relationships

Sexual and Reproductive Rights

• Defined as enabling individuals and couples to freely decide the number and spacing of their children.
• Ensures access to necessary information for decision-making, free from pressure, violence, and discrimination.
• Links to the historical development of human rights and the advancement of women's rights.

Important International Documents

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CEDAW (1979)
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
• Declaration of the 4th World Conference on Human Rights (1993)
• International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Final Declaration (Cairo 1994)
• 4th World Conference on Women (Beijing +5) (1995)
• Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) (2011)
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015)

Declaration of Human Rights April 6, 1949

• Every man and woman of marriageable age has the right to marry and start a family without restrictions based on race, citizenship, or religion
• Marriage contracts can only be made with the free and full consent of prospective spouses.
• States that the family is the fundamental element of society and has the right to protection.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

• Defines discrimination against women as any distinction, exclusion, or restriction on sex that denies the recognition, enjoyment, or exercise of human rights and freedoms
• Women and men are all equal
• Women have the right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and timing of children, with the necessary information, education, and means.
• States that parties shall prohibit all forms of sale of women and exploitation of women in prostitution.
• Governments may take necessary measures to end these acts
• States that parties should ensure women the right to benefit from adequate health services, including information, counseling, and services in family planning.

Child Rights Convention (1989)

• States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.
• Efforts should be made to ensure that no child is denied the right to medical care.
• Child is equal to health
• States Parties shall reduce infant and child mortality rates.
• States Parties shall combat disease and malnutrition through the use of readily available techniques and the provision of nutritious food and clean drinking water
• Provide appropriate prenatal and postnatal care to the mother;
• Assist all segments of society, especially parents and children, in obtaining and using basic information on child health and nutrition
• Develop preventive health care and parental guidance
• States Parties shall protect the child from sexual exploitation and abuse.
• States Parties agree to prevent the abduction, sale, or prostitution of children.

Declaration of the World Conference on Human Rights (1993)

• Right to work
• Right to fair and favorable working conditions
• Right to join and establish a union
• Right to social security and social insurance
• Right to protection of the family and assistance to the family
• Right to adequate standards of living
• Right to physical and mental health
• Right to education
• Right to benefit from cultural and scientific developments.

United Nations International Conference on Population and Development

• Explicit recognition and affirmation of women's right to control all aspects of their health.
• States that fertility is fundamental to women's empowerment.

4th World Women's Conference (Beijing) (1995)

• Take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls and to eliminate all obstacles to gender equality and the advancement and empowerment of women

The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) (2011)

• Enforces that States parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that intentional acts of mutilation, infibulation or disabling of all or part of a woman's labia majora, labia minora or clitoris are illegal

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015)

• Stopping trafficking, sexual exploitation and all forms of exploitation of all women and girls in public and private areas needs improvement in Turkey and worldwide

International Planned Parenthood Federation - Declaration on Reproductive and Sexual Rights

• Every human being has the right to life, and no one's life should be endangered because of pregnancy, childbirth, or gender.
• "Safe Motherhood" practices should be spread throughout society.
• Policies should aim to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
• Access of women's health and family planning information and services made free to society

The Right to Freedom in Reproduction and Sexual Life

• Freedom and security of the individual includes the freedom to control one's reproductive and sexual life
• Protection of all children, women, and men from sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Individuals can not undergo medical interventions without free and informed consent

Situations that Violate this Right:

• Sexual abuse
• Virginity control
• Forced pregnancy or continuation of pregnancy
• Forced sterilization
• Forced abortion
• Laws or practices requiring consent for family planning or voluntary abortion
• Female genital mutilation
• Imposing prison sentences for women terminating pregnancies.

The Right to Equality in Reproductive and Sexual Life

• Ensures all humans are born free and equal and protects against discrimination based on various characteristics.

The Right to Privacy in Reproduction and Sexual Life

• Involves the ability to make autonomous decisions about one's reproductive and sexual life.
• Includes the right to confidential services and legal frameworks that protect women's choices.

The Right to Freedom of Thought in Reproductive and Sexual Life

• Individuals have the right to receive and disseminate information related to reproductive and sexual health.

The Right to Information and Education in Reproductive and Sexual Life

• Includes free access to information and education on reproductive health
• Reproductive rights presented in a non-stereotyped objective way
• Programs should be provided to make decisions on the basis of free and informed consent

The Right to Freedom of Assembly and Participation in Reproductive and Sexual Life

• Includes the right to establish and participate in NGOs to promote reproductive and sexual health.

The Right to Decide Whether or When to Have Children

• All people have the right to freely and responsibly decide on the number and spacing of their children.
• Involves access to family planning methods and the right to choose whether or not to have children.
• Provides options for women including affordable, accessible, and reliable health care.
• Reproductive health, safe motherhood, and safe voluntary abortion services are accessible
• All women and men should be granted the freedom of acceptable protection against unintended pregnancies

The Right to Receive Health Care and Health Protection in Reproductive and Sexual Life

• Everyone has the right to the highest attainable level of physical and mental health.
• This includes comprehensive services, access to all family planning methods, infertility diagnosis, pregnancy counseling services, and paid maternity leave.

The Right to Benefit from Scientific Developments in Reproductive and Sexual Life

• Includes access to methods of family planning, provided technologies are safe and accessible.
• Provides necessary information and affordable healthcare

The Right to Choose About Marriage and Family Formation

• Ensures the right to voluntarily choose whether to marry or form a family, and should be ensured with non-discriminatory access

The Right to be Free from Torture and Ill-Treatment in Reproduction and Sexual Life

• All men, women and children have right not to be subjected to torture and receive medication without free and informed consent

The importance of protecting children:

• Protection of children from sexual exploitation and abuse
• It should be ensured that everyone is protected from rape sexual assault
• Domestic violence and harassment

Conclusion

• Interdisciplinary cooperation is inevitable when preventing child marriages, nurses should be the forefront and can be held responsible

Legal regulations

• Regulations and roles are defined on advocating for human and women's rights, gender equality, and the roles young women

Legislation in Turkey

• Turkey signed the Beijing Action Plan in 1995 without reservations and is committed to CEDAW.
• The goal is to increase the literacy rate of women to 100% and to reduce maternal and child mortality by 50%.
• Changes in Turkish legislation: Constitution (2001), Civil Law (2002), Family Laws (1998), Labor Law (2003), and Criminal Law (2004).
• Turkish Civil Code was adopted in 2002
• Equal rights for men and women
• Ending discrimination
• The age of marriage has been risen for both genders of 18, though it can change.
• Minors have equal right
• In the event of a Civil Law matter, it falls right to Judge
• Marriage between certain relations is prohibited
• Violence within relationships is probhibited
• Criminal law recognizes equality among genders, and aims to protect those that are more vulnerable
• The concept of sexual harassment has been introduced in certain workplaces with a heavier financial penalty
• Genital examination requires a trial from a state-approved doctor/judge
• In the even that the employee was assaulted, can terminate services and is attached due to the time of economical reasons
• Both men and women are protected against any discrimination regarding that termination between employment
• Woman that is pregnant can not work beyond 16 hours or are placed out on night shift.
• With approval, pregnant women can work 3 weeks early with approval, or could wait and use said weeks after pregnancy
• Women with children are granted 1 and a half hours for breast feeding
• Birth Termination and sterilization processes are made

Law number 2827 on population planning

• Pregnancy can be terminated by the 10th week of gestation, provided there is no medical problem for the mother's health or by request
• In other instances, a gynecologist and doctor must be there because of the life threats
• The termination is subject to subject to permission from all involved including spouses and or guardians
• Persons whom abort a child either has a possibility for time Incarceration