Global Civil Society Forum Communiqué

The Communiqué for the Global CSO Forum that met on 23-24 March in Bali includes several reference to sexual and reproductive health and rights, in addition to the references in the other outcome documents that have also gone forward to the High Level Saturday and Sunday, (See previous postings) thanks to the  collective efforts of APA, ASTRA, ARROW, DAWN, IPPF and IWHC, as well as other organizations. The Civil Society Communiqué was presented in the morning plenary at the HLP meeting on 25 March. 

“It states that gender equality must be central - including addressing violence against women and girls with and without disabilities, and guaranteeing sexual and reproductive health and rights. And thatgovernance starts at home, with women making decisions over their ownbodies, sexualities  and lives - sexual and reproductive rights arefundamental and must be guaranteed, while laws and policies that discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual orientation and gender identity must be repealed.”