Slovakia: Proposed constitutional amendments would crush the rights of LGBTIQ+ people and be a backward step for gender equality

8 April 2025
Amnesty International

Amendments to the Constitution of Slovakia to recognize only two sexes (male and female) and limit adoption to only married heterosexual couples, would have a devastating impact on the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, said Amnesty International ahead of an expected debate and vote in the Slovak parliament.

The battery of proposed amendments would also restrict access to reproductive health by allowing refusal of abortion care by health professionals on the grounds of “conscience”, denying pregnant people safe and timely abortions and mandate parental approval on comprehensive sexuality education in schools. This would restrict children’s access to information necessary for sexual violence prevention, education about consent, and sexual and reproductive health, for example.

Continued: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2025/04/slovakia-proposed-constitutional-amendments-would-crush-the-rights-of-lgbtiq-people-and-be-a-backward-step-for-gender-equality/


Guatemala – Hidden in plain sight: The lobby group restricting rights in Latin America

Founded by members of shadowy Catholic organisation Opus Dei, the AFI has become one of Guatemala’s most influential groups

26 November 2024
OpenDemocracy

In the first half of this year, seven girls aged between 10 and 14 gave birth in Guatemala every single day.

Guatemalan law states that these 1,298 girls are the victims of sexual violence. Medical professionals say their pregnancies pose a high risk to their physical and mental health. But the Asociación la Familia Importa (AFI), Guatemala’s most influential anti-abortion organisation, has focused on preventing such girls from having abortions at any cost – and it is succeeding.

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/afi-guatemala-opus-dei-anti-abortion-restrict-rights-latin-america/


Global – ‘Concerning’ rise in unprotected sex among teenagers 

A majority of teenagers in Europe, Central Asia, and Canada do not use condoms. Experts warn of rising risks of STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

Fred Schwaller
Aug 30, 2024

Condom use among sexually active teenagers has declined significantly over the past decade.

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that 30% of teenage boys and girls in Europe, Central Asia and Canada didn't use any form of contraception, including condoms, the last time they had sex.

Hans Henri Kluge, the WHO Regional Director for Europe, said the report's findings were "dismaying, [but] not surprising."

Continued: https://www.dw.com/en/concerning-rise-in-unprotected-sex-among-teenagers/a-70079734


Namibians Support Women’s Autonomy, Sex Education, and Access to Contraception, but Are Divided On Termination of Pregnancies

27 August 2024
By Christiaan Keulder and Lizl Stoman

Most citizens say girls who get pregnant should be allowed to continue their education.

Key findings
Namibians strongly support women's and girls' autonomy in making decisions about whether and when they should marry (80%) and about the timing and number of children to have (81%). Support for women's autonomy is particularly strong among women, young citizens, and more educated respondents.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/202408280011.html


Ethiopia – Fertile Ground

Anti-abortion campaigners have their sights set on Ethiopia – a progressive outlier in a region marred by restrictions. Who’s behind the emboldened ‘pro-life’ movement and what’s at stake for women’s rights amid a myriad of other challenges? Bethany Rielly, Maxine Betteridge-Moes and Maya Misikir report from Addis Ababa.

New International
14 June 2024

‘Pray to end abortion in Ethiopia’ reads the bumper sticker on a taxi parked outside a family planning clinic in the bustling heart of Addis Ababa. Jarring but easily dismissed, it’s an old tactic which anti-abortion groups have used the world over.

According to staff at the clinic, the driver used to rent a room in a building across the road. He recruited a worker from a nearby cafe to recite Bible verses to service users at the clinic. Using toy foetuses as props, the duo would implore people to ‘choose life’. The building has since been demolished as part of a massive city-wide redevelopment project, but this seemingly small act of protest is linked to a much larger and sturdier movement taking hold in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa.

Continued: https://newint.org/interactives/2024/fertile-ground/index.html


Will the world abort women’s rights after death of Roe v. Wade?

BY ELLEN WULFHORST, THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION
Nov 24, 2022

PATTAYA CITY, THAILAND – Women and girls around the world will suffer a knock-on effect from the U.S. decision to roll back abortion rights, experts say, predicting a global clampdown on hard-won female freedoms.

From access to abortion to voting rights, equal pay to equal status, women from Africa to Asia to Europe are expected to feel the fallout of the U.S. decision to reverse Roe v. Wade.

Continued: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/24/world/women-rights-abortion/

BY ELLEN WULFHORST, THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION
Nov 24, 2022

PATTAYA CITY, THAILAND – Women and girls around the world will suffer a knock-on effect from the U.S. decision to roll back abortion rights, experts say, predicting a global clampdown on hard-won female freedoms.

From access to abortion to voting rights, equal pay to equal status, women from Africa to Asia to Europe are expected to feel the fallout of the U.S. decision to reverse Roe v. Wade.

Continued: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/24/world/women-rights-abortion/


Uganda – Sexuality education: Is it a game changer?

Wednesday, September 07, 2022
Mariana Kayaga

During the national consultations by the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) on the East African Community Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill (EAC SRH Bill), a section of clerics argued that sexuality education sexualises children and that “children have no business engaging in sex”.

They further argued that sexuality education for children should be left to the parents. Discussions on sexuality education have always been a polarising debate and this is partly fueled by misconceptions and misinformation. For a long time, there has been the misconception that sexuality education and sex education are the same thing. However, sexuality education is a curriculum-based means of teaching and learning about cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality.

Continued: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/commentary/sexuality-education-is-it-a-game-changer--3939374


Renewed hope for sexual and reproductive health and rights in East Africa

Time is up for policy makers to stop putting the health and lives of women and girls at risk based on implicit biases and subjective opinions

by ESTHER AOKO, Star Blogs
24 June 2022

As sexual and reproductive health and rights continue to be sidelined the world over, detrimental health outcomes like alarming rates of teenage pregnancies and unsafe abortions continue to be reported in Kenya.

The Ministry of Health recently reported over 45,700 cases of teenage pregnancies in January and February of this year alone. Additionally, over 26,000 women and girls in Kenya die every year from unsafe abortion.

Continued: https://www.the-star.co.ke/opinion/star-blogs/2022-06-24-renewed-hope-for-sexual-and-reproductive-health-and-rights-in-east-africa/


Standing strong: youth health workers from Benin share lessons from sexual and reproductive health and rights workshop

28 April 2022
FIGO Advocating for Safe Abortion Project

From 9–11 March 2022, in Cotonou, Benin, FIGO’s Advocating for Safe Abortion Project worked with the National College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Benin (CNGOB) to organise a capacity building workshop for their counterparts visiting from Mali alongside the Youth Health Workers for Safe Abortion (YHW4SA) – a Beninese network of young pro-choice health professionals set-up in 2021 by CNGOB.  

The group attending the workshop was made up of 15 members of the YHW4SA network and five members of the Malian Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SOMAGO).  

The aim was to share knowledge and tools on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and on best practice to discuss abortion, in order to enable participants to address abortion stigma and strengthen access to safe abortion in their workplaces and wider communities.  

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/youth-health-workers-benin-share-lessons-srhr-workshop


Nigeria – Comprehensive Sexuality Education Coming to 1,700 Girls Courtesy of Onelife, IPAS

19.04.2022

Onelife Initiative, a non-profit organisation with offices in Oyo, Ekiti and Akwa Ibom, has partnered with Ipas Nigeria to offer comprehensive sexuality education to close to 2,000 females across four local government areas in Oyo State, Nigeria.

According to a statement issued by the organisation, the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Information (SRHR)-themed training will also include information dissemination on the risks attached to unsafe abortion.

Continued: https://fij.ng/article/comprehensive-sexuality-education-coming-to-1700-girls-courtesy-of-onelife-ipas/