Raising our Voices: Global Campaigning for SRHR

WGNRR at the Commission on the Status of Women 68th Session (CSW68)

The Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) hosted a parallel event at the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) with the Kaleidoscope Consortium titled "Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Justice through Health Systems Change." The event featured discussions on the intersectional barriers faced by marginalized communities, including adolescents and sex workers, in accessing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services within the health system. Our powerful panelists shared lessons learned from movements and highlighted the role that health care systems play in advancing the right to safe abortion.

At the CSW68 parallel event with the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition and Amnesty International, we were joined by dedicated women human rights defenders (WHRDs) who spoke about their essential work in labor rights, climate justice, gender-based violence, and land rights, among other areas. The dialogue brought to light the issues faced by WHRDs, such as crackdowns, discrimination, gender-based violence, and deprivation of liberty, among others.

March 28 International Day to Destigmatize Abortions: Words of Love and Support for those who had Abortions

WGNRR joins organizations globally in the convening of the March 28 International Day to Destigmatize Abortions, coordinated by inroads. As a personal initiative, WGNRR gathered and released 10 love and support letters shared by our partners for those who had abortions. These letters include "We are here to know, own, and connect with our bodies, not to ever apologize for their power." and "To women, girls and persons of diverse sexual orientation who are in need of abortion care . . . you need not be alone. trust that there are conscientiously committed healthcare providers who are not going to leave you, who are going to understand your situation, and who are going to respect & support your decision. "

International Working Women's Day: Mobilizing for Safe Abortion

The WGNRR joined the Philippines' mass mobilization to commemorate the history of workers and women in the struggle for human rights and justice, where we demanded health, rights, and justice for women and girls in all their diversity. Our partner organizations and SRHR activists carried calls for SRHR for all and safe abortion rights alongside calls to increase wages and control the rise in prices of goods and services.

Here’s to collective power and action: WHRDIC Strategic Planning Meeting

The Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) participated in the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition strategic planning meeting in Nepal last May 2024, joining women human rights defenders (WHRDs) globally to shape inclusive strategies for defending human rights and advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

International Day of Action for Women's Health First Call to Action: Global Dialogues for the #May28 Campaign

More than 30 organizations from 18 countries joined our Global Dialogues for the May 28 Campaign. They shared emerging and critical sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues, identified priority agendas, and articulated our demands for health, rights, and justice. Following the Global Dialogues, the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) coordinated the collaborative development of a central Campaign Call to Action, key messages, and a comprehensive list of demands.

May 28 International Day of Action for Women's Health: Mobilize in Critical Times of Threats and Opportunities

This year's campaign called on organizations and SRHR activists to mobilize and organize locally, regionally, or internationally through events such as teach-ins, forums, and dialogues. Campaigners spoke out by developing statements to amplify demands and raise awareness, and collaborated to create impactful campaign materials. Activists occupied online spaces with virtual rallies and live streams, and powered social media campaigns using hashtags like #WomensHealthMatters, #SRHR4All, and #May28. The campaign also emphasized harnessing the power of personal stories, engaging in artivism to convey demands, sharing recent successes to inspire action, and fostering collaboration across movements for collective impact.

Over 80 organizations from 36 countries reported hosting in-person actions for the May 28 campaign this year. On social media, the campaign reached over 57 million users through a variety of activities, including tweet-a-thons, information campaigns, short-form videos, and online challenges. Collectively, the campaign's hashtags and taglines were mentioned 36,000 times, with #May28, #WomensHealthMatters, and #SRHR ranking as the top three hashtags of the day.

To view the full global campaign report, visit: https://may28.org/about/past-campaigns/

The Global Politics of Sexual and Reproductive Health: a Fireside Chat with Maria Tanyag

We explored the key findings from Maria's groundbreaking book and gathered reactions from sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) advocates from the Philippines, India, Tanzania, and more. Over 60 individuals from 22 organizations joined us for meaningful dialogue on the critical threats to our health and rights, and explored opportunities to ensure SRHR and bodily autonomy remained central to major global agendas.

Our speaker, Walta Carlos, Regional Programme Manager of the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) Africa, emphasized that health and politics cannot be separated, especially in Global South contexts where access to health information, services, and commodities is influenced by structural barriers and is experienced differently by people of multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Dr. Alka Barua of CommonHealth India highlighted the importance of an intersectional approach to SRHR policies. She noted that progressive policies still require the destigmatization of SRHR issues, ensuring access, increasing women’s participation in political leadership, and demanding accountability.

VCAT Fellowship: VCAT Training of Trainers

In March of 2024, we launched the Values Clarification for Action and Transformation (VCAT) Fellowship, supporting 11 advocates from the Philippines. The Fellowship trains and empowers individuals to become effective advocates for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice, advancing the movement for the decriminalization of abortion in the Philippines through a values clarification and attitude transformation approach. We held the first phase of the Fellowship, the Training of Trainers program, in partnership with Ipas Indonesia, last April to May 2024.

The Training of Trainers program focused on equipping participants with strategies and skills, along with various aspects of abortion advocacy, non-stigmatizing communication strategies, and the utilization of tools for measuring capacity and knowledge, ultimately empowering them to lead VCAT sessions effectively.

Appointment of New Executive Director

We are delighted to announce that Debanjana Choudhuri has been appointed as the new Executive Director of WGNRR. Effective March 18, 2024, Debanjana will lead our organization with her transformative feminist leadership. We anticipate her contributions not only to the WGNRR team but also to our sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice movement. Read about her appointment here: https://wgnrr.org/announcing-wgnrrs-next-executive-director/

Launch of Pasya Advocazine

We are thrilled to present the 2nd Issue of Pasya Advocazine! Dive into its pages at https://wgnrr.org/the-2nd-issue-of-pasya-advocazine-is-here/ to explore the intersection of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with various crucial issues. This edition features a blend of narratives, artworks, and poetry that offer insights into diverse experiences of SRHR and the activism of various communities.

Learning ABC: Chika Session with Content Creators

"Learning ABC: A Chika Sesh with Content Creators" gathered content creators, artists, and writers in the Philippines for vital discussions on SRHR, focusing on abortion, bodily autonomy, and consent. The session heightened awareness of intersectional SRHR issues and provided perspectives on bodily autonomy. Participants engaged in critical learning sessions on addressing stigmatized topics and communicating social behavioral change effectively. The event inspired participants to incorporate discussions on bodily autonomy into their Women’s Month initiatives.

CSO Consultation on CSW68

Our CSO Consultation on the 68th Session on the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) comprehensively addressed the diverse experiences of Filipino women and girls. In collaboration with the Philippine Commission on Women, Women's Legal and Human Rights Bureau (WLB), National Rural Women Coalition (PKKK), and Foundation for Media Alternatives, we facilitated dialogue among 33 CSOs and 10 government agencies. The consultation yielded 21 robust recommendations across various domains including SRHR, agrarian reform, labor, and peace and security, which were submitted to the Philippine Delegation.

CSO Collaboration for CSW68 Zero Draft Agreed Conclusions

CSOs in the Philippines collaborated at a writeshop to formulate recommendations for the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women's Zero Draft Agreed Conclusions. Building upon insights from the previous CSO consultation, our partnership with the Foundation for Media Alternatives, WLB, and PKKK aimed to ensure the integration of these recommendations into the CSW68 Agreed Conclusions, supported by UN Women.

Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Forum and Regional Consultation

At the Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Forum, organizations from 22 countries convened to analyze issues related to poverty, institutions, and financing. Collective strategies for global and regional advocacy at the CSW were devised. Additionally, at the Regional Consultation, CSOs delivered a joint statement underscoring concerns such as the erosion of women’s rights, escalating violence, and the climate crisis, urging immediate global action.

Written Statement for the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of WomenOur written statement for the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women underscored the imperative of achieving gender equality and empowerment through the universal realization of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). This statement has been included in the official documents of CSW68. Read the complete statement here: https://wgnrr.org/wgnrrs-statement-for-the-68th-session-of-the-csw/