Suchita Srivastava v. Chandigarh Administration
Country: IndiaYear: 2009
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: (2009) 14 SCR 989
Health Topics: Informed consent, Mental health, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life, Right to privacy
The matter pertained to a 19-20 year old, “mentally retarded”, woman (the victim) whose mental capacity was that of a nine year old. She was living in a welfare institution (the Institution) established by the Chandigarh Administration, having previously lived in a government institute for mentally retarded children. She became pregnant while living in the …Read more
Women on Waves and Others v. Portugal
Country: PortugalYear: 2009
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 31276/05
Health Topics: Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom of association, Freedom of expression
In 2004, three associations sent the ship Borndiep to Portugal where abortion was illegal that would stage activities promoting the decriminalization of abortion including distribution of drugs that can induce abortion. Aware of the project, the Portuguese Government prevented the boat from entering its national territory. The three plaintiffs sued Portugal in national courts, which …Read more
Advocate Achyut Prasad Kharel v. Government of Nepal
Country: NepalYear: 2008
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: Writ No. 3352 of the year 2061 BS (2004 AD)
Health Topics: Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right of access to information, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to life
The petition challenged clause (1) of No. 28B of the Chapter on Life in the National Code which provided that “a health worker attaining the qualification as prescribed, may, with the consent of the concerned pregnant women, remove her fetus within 12 weeks of conception” (the Clause). The Petitioner contended that this was contrary to …Read more
Case 146/2007 and its cumulative 147/2007
Country: MexicoYear: 2008
Court: Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación [Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation]
Citation: Acción de Inconstitucionalidad 146/2007 y su acumulada 147/2007
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Please note that only portions of the original judgment have been translated into English. This summary is primarily written from those portions. The Federal District legislature approved reforms to the Criminal Code of the Federal District in which it decriminalized and legalized abortion performed during the first 12 weeks of gestation. It also amended the …Read more
Case T-209/08
Country: ColombiaYear: 2008
Court: Constitutional Court
Citation: Corte Constitucional[C.C.][Constitutional Court],Sala Novena de Revisión febrero 28, 2008, M.P.: Clara Inés Vargas Hernández, Sentencia T-209/08 (Colom.).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right of access to information, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person
A girl, aged 13, was a victim of rape and became pregnant as a result. The girl was affiliated with the Coomeva healthcare provider company. However, the company refused to perform a legal abortion claiming conscientious objection on the part of all of its physicians. The company then referred her to the Erasmo Meoz de …Read more
Gómez Arambula, Carlos Humberto v. Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia deMedicamentos y Alimentos INVIMA
Country: ColombiaYear: 2008
Court: Higher Court on Administrative Law, Chamber of Administrative Litigation
Citation: Case File No. 11001-03-24-000-2002-00251-01
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Medicines, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to life
A Colombian citizen challenged before the Supreme Administrative Court the constitutionality of an administrative decision that allowed the Asociación Probienestar de la Familia Colombiana PROFAMILIA to import and distribute the emergency contraception pill Postinor 2. The petitioner argued that the drug suppressed life in its initial stages, acting as an abortive and therefore violating the …Read more
Núñez de Zanetti, Mónica Viviana v. Famyl S.A. Salud para la Familia
Country: ArgentinaYear: 2008
Court: Supreme Court of Justice [Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina]
Citation: Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación [CSJN] [National Supreme Court of Justice], 9/9/2008, "Núñez de Zanetti, Mónica c/ Famyl Salud s/ Amparo", (N. 289, L. XLIII)(Arg.)
Health Topics: Diet and nutrition, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Medicines, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
Mónica Núñez de Zanetti requested that the prepaid medical care company, Famyl S. A., pay for her parenteral nutrition, a life-saving diet she required as a result of a chronic small bowel resection she suffered. Famyl S.A. contended that it was not responsible for provide the nutritional services because Nuñez’s peritonitis was the result of …Read more
Paola Del Rosario Guzman Albarracin and Next of Kin v. Ecuador
Country: EcuadorYear: 2008
Court: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
Citation: Report No. 76/08, Petition 1055-06, October 17, 2008; OEA/Ser.L/V/II.134, Doc. 5, rev. 1, 25 February 2009
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
The Centro de Derechos Reproductivos (Center for Reproductive Rights) and the Centro Ecuatoriano para la Promoción y Acción de la Mujer (Center for the Advancement and Action of Women) (CEPAM-Guayaquil) alleged that the assistant principal at the public school where Paola del Rosario Guzmán Albarracín, age 16, was a student, took advantage of his position …Read more
Right to Life New Zealand Inc. v. Abortion Supervisory Committee
Country: New ZealandYear: 2008
Court: High Court
Citation: [2008] NZHC 865; [2008] 2 NZLR 825
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Medical malpractice, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
This case was amended by a Judgment on Declaratory Relief and then overruled by the Court of Appeal in [2011] NZCA 246. The applicant, the Right to Life New Zealand (RTL), argued that the high rate of abortion in New Zealand indicated women were accessing “abortions on request” in contravention of the Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion …Read more
Advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla v. Prime Minister
Country: NepalYear: 2007
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: Writ No. 3561 of the year 2063 B. S (2006)
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right of access to information, Right to due process/fair trial, Right to education, Right to health, Right to life, Right to privacy, Right to property, Right to work
The Forum for Women, Law and Development, the Petitioner, was an organization working with vulnerable communities such as women, children and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVA). Although the right to privacy was guaranteed under Article 28 of the Interim Constitution, 2007, there were no legal provisions safeguarding the privacy of women, children, or PLHIVA (the …Read more