Sexual and Reproductive Rights & Regulations

• The presentation covers sexual and reproductive rights as well as legal regulations.
• Important documents and the International Federation of Family Planning is part of the topic.
• It also covers legal regulations related to reproductive and sexual health.

Reproductive Health

• Defined beyond the absence of disease, it includes complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
• Grants people the ability to reproduce, make decisions about their reproductive abilities, and have a satisfying and safe sex life free from violence and discrimination.

Reproductive Rights

• Encompass enriching life and personal relationships.
• Should provide care and counseling services for reproductive and sexually transmitted diseases.

Sexual and Reproductive Rights

• Individuals and couples should have the freedom to decide the number and spacing of their children.
• They should have the necessary information and not face pressure, violence, or discrimination when accessing health services.
• The development of reproductive rights is strongly linked to the development of human rights and women's rights.

International Documents

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

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (April 6, 1949)

• Every man and woman of marriageable age has the right to marry and start a family.
• Marriage should be free from restrictions based on race, citizenship, or religion.
• A marriage can only be done with the free and full consent of the prospective spouses.
• The family is recognized as the natural and fundamental element of society.
• The family has the right to protection by society and the State.

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

• Defines discrimination against women as any distinction, exclusion, or restriction based on sex.
• Women and men have equal rights.
• Women have the right to decide freely and reasonably on the number and timing of children.
• They should have the necessary information, education, and means to exercise this right.
• States Parties must prohibit all forms of sale and exploitation of women in prostitution.
• People have the right to benefit from adequate health services.
• People have the right to including information, counselling and services in family planning

Child Rights Convention (1989)

• Every child has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health.
• There needs to be access to medical care and rehabilitation facilities.
• States Parties must ensure that no child is denied the right to such medical care.
• States Parties work to reduce infant and child mortality rates.
• All children should be given necessary medical assistance and care.
• Emphasis should be on the development of primary health care, combating malnourishment and disease
• Prenatal and postnatal care needs to be provided to the mother.
• Public and environmental health and accident prevention is key.
• Countries need to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse
• They must prohibit exploitation of children in prostitution or other illegal sexual activities;

Declaration of the World Conference on Human Rights (1993)

• Includes the right to work, fair working conditions, joining unions, social security, adequate living standards, physical/mental health, education, and cultural/scientific benefits.

United Nations International Conference on Population and Development

• Explicitly recognizes women's right to control all aspects of their health.
• This including their fertility, as fundamental to women's empowerment.

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

• To take all necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls.
• Eliminate all obstacles to gender equality and the advancement and empowerment of women.

Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence (Istanbul Convention) (2011)

• Female circumcision should be forbidden
• There is intent to reject intentional acts of mutilation, infibulation or disabling.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015)

• Aims to eliminate all forms of violence/exploitation against women and girls.

International Planned Parenthood Federation - Declaration

• Every human has the right to life.
• No one's life should be endangered because of pregnancy, childbirth, or gender.
• Practices such as "Safe Motherhood" should be spread.
• Policies to reduce maternal and infant mortality must be established.
• Family planning information and services should be available to society free of charge.

Freedom in Reproduction and Sexual Life

• The individual should have the freedom to control their reproductive and sexual life.
• Protection from sexual abuse and exploitation is key
• The individual has the right to deny medical intervention regarding their reproductive and sexual health without full, free, and informed consent

Situations That Violate Reproductive Rights

• Sexual abuse
• Virginity control
• Forced pregnancy/sterilization/abortion
• Requiring consent for family planning
• Female genital mutilation
• Imprisoning women for terminating pregnancies.

Right to Equality

• All human beings are free and equal, no discrimination based on various attributes.
• Prohibiting discrimination against any minority group and their effective implementation
• Protection from unfair, traditional and other practices that humiliate women
• Gender-sensitive human rights should be ensured

Right to Privacy

• The ability to make autonomous decisions about one's reproductive and sexual life and respecting privacy.
• Ensuring personal information remains confidential
• Legal frameworks should recognize women's right to choose reproduction and sexuality autonomously, including safe, voluntary abortion.
• Providing sexual health information that respects young people's rights.

Right to Freedom of Thought

• All individuals have reproductive/sexual health rights and the right to receive/disseminate information.
• This includes ones' interpretations of religious texts, beliefs, philosophies, and traditions that respect freedom of thought
• Medical personnel have a right to conscientious objection to family planning and voluntary abortion services.
• Individuals should be directed to others for services in the case of objection, especially in emergencies.

The Right to Information and Education

• There is a right to free access to information and education on reproductive and sexual health/life
• Young people should have access to information and education on reproductive and sexual health and rights
• There should be information and training programs on reproductive rights presented in a gender-sensitive, non-stereotyped, objective, critical and pluralistic manner
• Providing full, free and informed consent

Right to Assembly

• The freedom to participate in organizations to promote health must be ensured
• Active self-defense in the field of reproductive and sexual health and rights

Right to decide whether or when to have children

• Includes access family methods
• Includes to decide not have children
• Deciding responsibly in their decision of child spacing and amount

Within the Decisions of Having Children

• Services that regulate fertility that are effective; affordable and safely voluntary in abortions
• All have free access and the safety to use any methods of protection against pregnancies.

Right to Receive Health

• Everyone had a right to having highest levels of physical and mental health.
• Programs that have quality healthcare
• access to healthcare, voluntary abortions and family planning.
• Provide private and comfortable reproductive healthcare
• Counselings and pregnancy decisions in place

Regulations in Turkey

Commitment

• Turkey signed the Beijing Action Platform in 1995
• Committed to removing CEDAW reservations to increase women’s literacy and reduce child mortality

Civil Law

• Civil Code adopted in 2002 in Turkey.
• equality for men and women
• makes equal rights to evaluating women’s labor

Old civil law on gender

• Boys had to equal 17 when getting married
• Girls equal 15 years old when getting married
• If over 17 must have parents permission to get married

Turkish Penal code

• Was accepted in 2004 in turkish assembly
• Regulates equality and violence against women

Crime

• sexual harassment isn’t ok
• any sexual assault is illegal