Amnesty International USA

REAFFIRMING that the human rights of women and girls are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights;

REAFFIRMING also that the eradication of all forms of discrimination and violence on grounds of gender is a priority objective of Amnesty International;

REAFFIRMING further Amnesty International’s commitment to defending and promoting sexual and reproductive rights within its mission, and in the context of its core values and strategic goals;

RECOGNIZING that the human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence;

ALARMED by the various forms of discrimination and violence to which women and girls continue to be exposed all over the world, as have been highlighted through the Stop Violence Against Women Campaign, and that one out of every three women worldwide will become a victim of gender-based violence at some point during her lifetime;

CONVINCED, in light of abuses ranging from sex trafficking to rape in times of peace as well as in times of armed conflict, to violence against lesbian and bisexual women, that the protection of women’s sexual and reproductive rights is integral to the effectiveness of the Stop Violence Against Women Campaign;

CONVINCED also that upholding sexual and reproductive rights is fundamental to assuring the right of women and girls to physical and mental integrity;

CONCERNED that each year more than 70,000 women around the world die from complications related to unsafe abortions, and in some countries up to 60% of all maternal deaths are due to unsafe abortions;

CONCERNED also that in more than 70 countries with particularly restrictive abortion laws, women are imprisoned for seeking of having had abortions;

RECALLING that the International Conference on Population and Development (Cairo 1994) and the Fourth UN World Conference on Women (Beijing 1995) affirmed that reproductive and sexual health are part of universally recognized human rights;

RECALLING also that 189 governments, including the United States, adopted the Beijing Platform for Action in 1995, and that 179 governments, again including the United States, adopted the [Cairo] Programme of Action in 1994, and that these documents form part of the international human rights consensus;

RECALLING further that the international human rights consensus agrees, inter alia, 1) that where abortion is legal, it should be safe and accessible; 2) that unsafe abortions threaten the lives of a large number of women, representing a grave public health problem as it is primarily the poorest and youngest who take the highest risk; and that 3) States should consider reviewing laws containing punitive measures against women who have undergone illegal abortions;

RECALLING further that Amnesty International has repeatedly called upon States to uphold their commitments under the international human rights consensus (see AI Index: ACT 77/006/2005; AI Index: ACT 77/013/2005; AI Index: ACT 77/012/2005; AI Index: ACT 77/014/2005; and AIUSA AGM Decision P-2/2004); (South and West)]

NOTING that Decision 3 of the 2005 ICM (Sexual and Reproductive Rights) decided, in part:

A. That a consultation, education and awareness-raising process on possible AI positions on the issue of abortion should be undertaken and be guided by the following principles:

1. Where women’s access to safe and legal abortion services is restricted, a number of fundamental human rights may be at risk;

2. A number of important international human rights standards have been developed in this area;

3. AI believes that women must be able to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights free from coercion, discrimination and violence;

B. That this process should enable AI to take an informal decision as to the organization’s position – should it choose to do so – on the question of whether a woman’s right to physical and mental integrity includes her right to terminate her pregnancy, subject to reasonable limitations, and of whether abortion should therefore be legal, safe and accessible to all women.

C. That this process should have the following features:

1. Appropriate materials will be made available, as far as practically possible, to the Chairs Forum and to all sections and structures to enable them to discuss this issue in advance of and during their AGMs;

2. Chairs Forum meeting will be held after the majority of section AGMs during 2006, to which all sections and structures will be invited to send one delegate in addition to their chair;

3. This meeting will discuss AI’s possible future policy positions on the question of abortion, and will make recommendations to the IEC with respect to the points in paragraph D. below;

D. That, unless the Chairs Forum opposes doing so, the IEC could decide by the end of 2006, taking into account the recommendations and outcomes of the consultation process, whether to adopt a position on:

• decriminalization of abortion;

• access to quality services for management of complications arising from abortion;

• legal, safe and accessible abortion in cases of rape, sexual assault, incest and risk to woman’s life,

while taking all other decisions related to possible AI positions on the issue of abortion to the 2007 ICM

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AIUSA AGM instructs the Board Chair to convey the following positions to the IEC for discussion of these issues during the Chairs’ Forum:

1. AI should support decriminalization of abortion in all circumstances, except in cases of forced or coerced abortion;

2. AI should support access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion;

3. AI should take the position that abortion should be legal, safe and accessible in cases of sexual violence (including rape, sexual assault, incest) or risk to an individual’s life and/or health. AI should support the position that individuals have a right to legal, safe and accessible abortion in cases of sexual violence (including rape, sexual assault, incest) or risk to the individual’s life and/or health.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at the 2006 Chairs’ Forum discussion of this matter, the AIUSA Board Chair will support having these decisions taken by the IEC in consultations with AI sections and membership.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AIUSA should be a leader within the international human rights movement with respect to the progressive advancement of sexual and reproductive rights and should decide at its 2007 AGM on a more comprehensive position on the abortion question in advance of the 2007 ICM.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AIUSA should produce materials explaining the contents and rationale of the resolution, including the clarification of and distinction between “decriminalization” and “legalization.”