Source: IPAS
Part 1 of this document introduces the international sources of human rights, briefly explaining how international conventions are adopted and how their implementation by States is monitored. It also describes the legal status of international consensus statements, such as conference declarations. Part 2 introduces the right to health as defined in international treaties. It then goes on to explain the sexual and reproductive rights which are commonly acknowledged by legal scholars and international agencies. Part 3 provides suggestions on how NGOs and health providers can increase awareness about, and promote compliance with, sexual and reproductive health rights, particularly regarding unwanted pregnancy and abortion-related care. Part 4 presents case studies demonstrating possible violations of women's reproductive rights.

Appendices I and II provide information on international and regional human rights documents, while Appendix III provides questions that can be asked when assessing whether a woman's rights have been violated in a specific case. Appendix IV demonstrates how international human rights standards may be related to specific rights violations regarding prevention of unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion, postabortion care and abortion permitted by law.

How this document can be used:
In addition to serving as a reference source, this document can be used in the following ways:

• Parts 1 and 2 can be used to prepare presentations and handouts with background information for NGO staff or for pre-service training and continuing education of health-service providers.
• Part 3 can serve as a reference during project and program planning to generate ideas for research and activities related to human rights, unwanted pregnancy and abortion-related care.
• The case studies in Part 4 can be used as discussion starters in workshops on human rights and abortion-related care with community members, health-service providers, journalists and members of the legal and law enforcement sectors. For example, they could be read and analyzed using a series of questions or be illustrated through a dramatization that is followed by audience discussion. The case studies can also be used in articles, brochures or radio programs to illustrate concretely how women's rights have been violated in connection with abortion-related care. Finally, the case studies can be used as examples for documenting new cases in which violations of women's rights have occurred locally.
• Appendices III and IV can be useful to groups wishing to document cases in which women's rights may have been violated. Different types of possible violations are presented with lists of relevant citations from international conventions, Treaty Monitoring Committees and international consensus statements. Such cases can be presented to the public through tribunals, in print and the broadcast media. They can also be incorporated into reports to Treaty Monitoring Committees that describe the extent to which States are or are not observing the treaties to which they have committed themselves.