Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Inquiry concerning the Philippines
Country: PhilippinesYear: 2015
Court: UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Citation: CEDAW/C/OP.8/PHL/1
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to life
An executive order was passed in Manila by the local authorities stating that it would take an affirmative stand on pro-life issues. In 1991, Philippines had delegated the issue of people’s health and safety to the local authorities therefore they could make policy decisions such as family planning services, population and health services. The Executive …Read more
Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) & 3 Ors. v. Attorney General & 2 Ors.
Country: KenyaYear: 2015
Court: High Court at Nairobi
Citation: Petition No. 266 of 2015
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Medicines, Sexual and reproductive health
The Director of Medical Services issued a letter on December 3, 2013 and a memo on February 24, 2014 to “All Health Workers” that directed them not to participate in training on safe abortion practice and threatened legal action for non-compliance. The Federation of Women Lawyers filed suit, stating that the letter and memo had …Read more
In the Matter of the Law on Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland
Country: United KingdomYear: 2015
Court: The High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland, Queen’s Bench Division
Citation: [2015] NIQB 96; 2014 No. 125661/01
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life, Right to privacy
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (“Commission”) brought an application alleging that the rights of women in Northern Ireland who are or become pregnant with a serious malformation of the fetus (SMF), fatal fetal abnormality (FFA) or who are pregnant as a result of sexual crimes were being breached by Section 58 and Section 59 …Read more
Voluntary Health Association of Punjab v. Union of India
Country: IndiaYear: 2013
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 349 of 2006
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health information, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination
The order is about the problem of sex-selective abortion in India. The Court assed the present situation and the various barriers that must be taken into account when States take steps to address this problem by raising awareness of the legal status of the issue. The Parliament has taken steps to prevent sex selective abortion …Read more
Sandesh Bansal v. Union of India and others
Country: IndiaYear: 2012
Court: High Court - Madhya Pradesh
Citation: Writ Petition No. 9061/2008
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Medicines, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health, Water, sanitation and hygiene
Human Rights: Right to life
The petitioner is a social activist that works on raising concern over the high maternal mortality in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The petitioner alleged that the state’s program to reduce the maternal mortality rate (MMR) had failed to be implemented effectively in Madhya Pradesh. The petitioner had filed this petition, alleging that about …Read more
Case T-388/09
Country: ColombiaYear: 2009
Court: Constitutional Court
Citation: Corte Constitucional [C.C.] [Constitutional Court], Sala Octava de Revisión mayo 28, 2009, M.P.: Humberto Antonio Sierra Porto, Sentencia T-388/09 (Colom.).
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
The petitioner, a Colombian national, filed a tutela (an appeal for legal protection) on behalf of his partner who was 19 weeks pregnant. The petitioner’s partner underwent examination and discovered that the fetus exhibited serious malformations that made the fetus unviable. Despite the advice of a board of specialists to terminate the pregnancy, the local health …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
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
Case C-355/06
Country: ColombiaYear: 2006
Court: Corte Constitucional [Constitutional Court]
Citation: Sentencia C-355/06
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health systems and financing, Mental health, Poverty, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to bodily integrity, Right to development, Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to life
Women petitioners brought a tutela action (appeal for legal protection) requesting that the Court declare unconstitutional particular provisions of the Penal Code (Articles 122 (criminalized abortion), 123 (criminalized abortion without consent), and 124 (mitigating circumstances)) that criminalized abortion, claiming that, first, the doctrine of res judicata did not apply to them with regards to previous decisions …Read more