Contraception

The Center for Reproductive Rights works across the globe to expand access to effective and affordable modern contraception—which is crucial to ensuring women’s ability to control their lives and futures.

Summary

The ability to decide whether and when to have children is critical for achieving gender equality and ensuring that women can exercise their human rights and participate as full members of society. Yet in many areas throughout the world, high-quality contraception is difficult to obtain and unaffordable, disproportionally impacting low-income and marginalized communities.

Through advocacy, litigation and fact-finding, the Center works to eliminate barriers to contraceptive services and information—and guarantee contraception for all, free from coercion, discrimination, and violence—so all women can control their reproductive lives and their futures.

Key Facts

74 million

Women living in low and middle-income countries have unintended pregnancies annually.

215,000

Number of pregnancy related deaths prevented by modern contraceptives per year.

$68.5 billion

Estimated cost to end the unmet need for modern contraception between 2020-2030.

Work and Cases

Explore the Center’s recent work pertaining for contraception.

The Center examines barriers and recommends policy solutions.

The Center’s pending case before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

The Court gave the Trump administration broad authority to expand exemptions for moral and religious reasons.

Publications and Resources

The Right to Contraceptive Information and Services for Women and Adolescents card link

The Right to Contraceptive Information and Services for Women and Adolescents

This publication by the Center and the United Nations Population Fund discusses the internationally recognized human right to contraceptive information and services. Read more.

Failure to Prevent Unplanned Pregnancies in Tanzania card link

Failure to Prevent Unplanned Pregnancies in Tanzania

The Center’s in-depth report about the impact of Tanzania’s policies limiting contraceptive services. Read more.

Treaty Monitoring Bodies on Reproductive Rights card link

Treaty Monitoring Bodies on Reproductive Rights

The Center’s report on the United Nations treaty monitoring bodies (TMBs) jurisprudence on reproductive rights, including contraception and maternal health care. Read more.

The Slovak Republic’s Failure to Ensure Access to Contraceptives card link

The Slovak Republic’s Failure to Ensure Access to Contraceptives

The Center’s report examining the government’s failure to address barriers, counter to its obligations under national, regional, and international law. Read more.

Accountability for Discrimination Against Women in the Philippines card link

Accountability for Discrimination Against Women in the Philippines

Findings and recommendations from the CEDAW Committee’s special inquiry on reproductive rights, including the lack of contraception and other reproductive health services.

Protecting Reproductive Health in Times of COVID (Spanish) card link

Protecting Reproductive Health in Times of COVID (Spanish)

A joint effort by 14 Latin American organizations, this website outlines five tools to protect reproductive health in times of COVID-19. Learn more.

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