United Nations Human Rights Committee Issues Historic Ruling to Protect Girls from Forced Motherhood, Setting Global Precedent across 170+ countries

Rulings come after anti gender actions by the Trump administration in first 24 hours of its term

NEW YORK, NY / WASHINGTON, D.C. — On January 20, 2025, the United Nations Human Rights Committee issued three landmark rulings, holding Ecuador and Nicaragua accountable for severe human rights violations against three young survivors of sexual violence who were forced into motherhood. The historic decisions reaffirm a fundamental truth: girls and all people have the right to live their lives free from sexual violence and forced parenthood. The Committee’s rulings set a historic global precedent for bodily autonomy and dignity, in a time of rising authoritarianism and in stark contrast to the Trump Administration’s staunch opposition to reproductive rights.

The groundbreaking rulings are the result of an international legal strategy initiated in 2019 by the “They Are Girls, Not Mothers” Movement, or “Movimiento Son Niñas No Madres”, a coalition composed of more than a dozen organizations including Planned Parenthood Global and the Center for Reproductive Rights. Through the cases of Norma v. Ecuador, Fatima v. Guatemala, and Lucia and Susana v. Nicaragua,  this coalition has brought justice for the young girls who survived sexual assault and were forced into motherhood despite severe risks to their health, well-being, and futures.

The human rights standards affirmed in these three rulings apply to more than 170 countries that have signed and ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), including the United States. The decisions create a pathway to extend the justice won by Norma, Susana and Lucia to thousands of girls facing similar injustices. The case of Fatima  v. Guatemala remains under review.

“We are thrilled by this outcome — not only for the justice it delivers in these cases but for the resounding message it sends globally: violations of girls’ autonomy and dignity are unacceptable. This historic victory from the Global South underscores Planned Parenthood Global’s unwavering commitment to defend sexual and reproductive rights for all. As harmful executive actions roll out in the United States, including those pulling out of critical global agreements and bodies and attempting to undermine rights, we stand ready to deploy every strategy and foster partnerships across borders to protect these critical liberties,” said Lori Adelman, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global.

“No law, religion, or tradition can ever justify forcing children to have children. Abortion bans, lack of access to reproductive health care, sexual violence, and entrenched social stigma jeopardize the lives and steal the futures of far too many girls and women like Norma, Lucia, and Susana. We are grateful to the Committee for honoring their stories,” said Nancy Northup, President & CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “These decisions have the potential to change the reality of girls around the world and are a strong rebuke to U.S. President Trump’s deadly anti-abortion agenda. We will now work to ensure that this ruling leads to changes in the laws that caused them to suffer.”

The challenges faced in Latin America resonate strongly in the U.S. as the harmful impacts of the elimination of the constitutional right to abortion in 2022 spread across the country. Restrictive policies of the Trump administration will further endanger access to abortion and other reproductive health care, heightening the risks of violence and vulnerability that girls and women face across the region.

In stark contrast to the Trump administration’s regressive stance on reproductive rights, these recent victories will reinforce progress on protecting the rights of women and girls worldwide.

The United States is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and bound to its standards, even though the country has not signed the ICCPR’s optional protocols.

Norma, Lucia, and Susana have told their stories so that other survivors can take control of their futures and move beyond violence. Based on their cases, and in response to a structural problem in Latin America, the UN Human Rights Committee established historic standards including:

1. Amend legislation to ensure legal and effective access to abortion, particularly in cases involving pregnancies resulting from rape, or when there is a risk to the life or health of the pregnant individual. This includes guaranteeing comprehensive healthcare services and removing barriers to access safe abortion services.
2. Take decisive action across all sectors to combat sexual violence,, including educational and awareness campaigns to prevent, address, and prosecute such cases, while also offering comprehensive reparations to survivors.
3. Train healthcare professionals and justice system actors on providing integrated care for sexual violence survivors and ensuring effective action when there is a history of similar offenses or ongoing danger.
4. Implement measures for individual reparations, such as financial compensation for survivors, support for resuming education, psychological accompaniment, and other resources that enable survivors to rebuild their lives and achieve their personal, educational, and professional goals interrupted by forced motherhood.

Planned Parenthood Global, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the other organizations that are part of the They are Girls Not Mothers Movement call on governments around the world to guarantee the health, rights, and dignity of all people, especially girls.

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The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization of lawyers and advocates who protect reproductive rights as fundamental human rights around the world. Since its founding in 1992, the Center’s game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work across five continents has transformed how reproductive rights are understood by courts, governments, and human rights bodies. The Center has offices in New York, Washington, Bogota, Nairobi, and Geneva.

Planned Parenthood Global (PP Global) is the international division of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). Founded in 1972 and with presence in Africa and Latin America, PP Global supports locally led efforts and partner organizations around the world to expand access to sexual and reproductive health, including abortion. To date, Planned Parenthood Global has provided financial and programmatic support to over 1,000 partner organizations and SRH movements across 70 countries. Planned Parenthood Global leverages innovative and well-established partnerships; depth of technical expertise; and flexible funding to INCUBATE, CONVENE, and DEFEND brave individuals, organizations, coalitions, and movements pushing boundaries to advance SRHR around the world.

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With nearly 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect, and without judgment, striving to create equitable access to health care. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable education and information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives. Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports the independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating health centers across the U.S.