The UN CEDAW Committee has taken an important step forward in their recognition of women’s reproductive rights in its new General Recommendation 30 on Women in Conflict Prevention, Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations. The CEDAW Committee says that states should: “Ensure that sexual and reproductive health care includes access to sexual and reproductive health and rights information; psychosocial support; family planning services, including emergency contraception; maternal health services, including antenatal care, skilled delivery services, prevention of vertical transmission and emergency obstetric care; safe abortion services; post-abortion care; prevention and treatment of HIV.†(para. 52(c))
This is the first time that the CEDAW Committee has explicitly indicated that states should provide safe abortion services as a component of their obligation to provide sexual and reproductive health care in a general recommendation.
The general recommendation is available HERE.
