08.07.2023

Reporting on Rights SRHR General Global Events

Center Leaders Join with Partners Across the Globe to Galvanize Support for Reproductive Rights at Women Deliver 2023

Held in Kigali, Rwanda, the conference brought together grassroots advocates and decision-makers to improve the well-being of women and girls.

The Women Deliver 2023 conference came to a close last month, but the momentum of the conference—the largest global gathering focused on gender equity—will continue to move the fight for reproductive rights forward.

Held in Kigali, Rwanda, from July 17 to 20, the event created a forum for empowering discussions on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and making connections among the 6,300 women’s rights advocates in attendance, as well as 200,000 online participants.

Leaders from the Center for Reproductive Rights global offices spoke to diverse audiences and facilitated discussions at thought-provoking plenaries, key issue-focused sessions and dynamic side events. They engaged with SRHR partners to share expertise and showcase successes, and they met with senior government leaders and strengthened relationships with allies in the fight for abortion rights.

View photos from Women Deliver 2023:

Center leaders joined with global gender equity advocates, including Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, to discuss strategies and policies for enshrining women’s fundamental human rights into law. L-R: Rebecca Brown, the Center’s senior director of global advocacy; Rachana Desai Martin, the Center’s chief government and external relations officer; Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and co-founder of the Malala Fund; Nancy Northup, Center president and CEO; Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, chief communications and marketing officer at the Center. *—©Center for Reproductive Rights*

Speakers at the Center’s evening networking event focused on the organization’s forward fight for reproductive rights and included, L-R: Dr. Julitta Onabanjo, director of the Technical Division, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA); Rumbi Chakamba, associate editor, Devex; Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center; Bela Ganatra, head of Prevention of Unsafe Abortion at the World Health Organization; Marci Ien, a member of Canadian Parliament and minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The room was at capacity for an event highlighting strengths and opportunities of using litigation to promote legal and policy changes to safeguard SRHR in Africa. The Center’s Africa Senior Regional Director Salima Namusobya moderated the session, which was organized with partners including the Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development, Health Development Initiative, Legal Human Rights Center and Center for Health, Human Rights and Development. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Center launched its revamped, interactive **World’s Abortion Laws Map**, the definitive record on the status of abortion laws in every country across the globe. The map has enhanced interactivity and a new scrolling narrative feature providing greater context on global abortion law trends. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

At a session titled “Abortion Progress Around the World,” support for Latin America’s “Marea Verde” or “Green Wave” movement was evident. Facilitated by the Center’s Catalina Martínez Coral, senior regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, the session focused on the use of mobilization, communications and movement building in the global south to modify laws and advocate for tribunals and high courts to recognize SRHR as human rights. L-R: The Center’s Catalina Martínez Coral, senior regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean; Amanda Banura, youth advisory member of SHE SOARS (Uganda); Sabin Shrestha, executive director of Forum for Women, Law and Development (Nepal); Rebeca Ramos, executive director of GIRE (México); and Dr. Ana Cristina González Vélez, a founder of Latin America’s Causa Justa movement (Colombia). *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Center’s Rebecca Brown, senior director of global advocacy, and Catalina Martínez Coral, senior regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, speaking with Canada’s Minister of International Development Harjit S. Sajjan in front of the World’s Abortion Laws Map. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Center staff gathered from regions around the world. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Women Deliver conference brings together advocates and decision-makers to improve the well-being of women and girls around the world. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Center President and CEO Nancy Northup gave powerful remarks at the SRHR plenary focused on the progress and setbacks on abortion access globally. She highlighted the worldwide impacts of the *Dobbs* decision, fact-checking where things stand in the U.S., as well as the tremendous leadership in ensuring abortion access from the global south. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Dr. Joannie Marlene Bewa, a public health researcher at the University of South Florida, moderated the plenary titled “From Attacks to Advancements: Charting the Path for SRHR in a Changing World” that featured the Center’s President and CEO Nancy Northup. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Attendees at the Women Deliver conference included grassroots and youth advocates and representatives from multilateral governments, the private sector, and philanthropies from regions across the world. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Center’s Africa team hosted a panel, titled “Strategic Litigation as a Tool for Safeguarding Women and Girls SRHR in Africa,” organized with its partners, including the Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development and Health Development Initiative. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Center’s Africa team, led by Senior Regional Director Salima Namusobya, facilitated a discussion on litigation strategies to protect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women, girls and other vulnerable groups on the continent. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Aaron Clevis Mbembe, associate director of the Policy and Advocacy Institute at Health Development Initiative, Rwanda, speaking at the Center’s networking event focused on SRHR in Africa. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Center’s WD2023 booth featured its newly revamped World’s Abortion Laws Map—the definitive record of the legal status of abortion in countries across the globe. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The Center’s Katy Mayall, director of strategic initiatives, and Jihan Jabobs, associate director legal strategies for Asia, speaking with Canada’s Minister of International Development Harjit S. Sajjan. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

The room was at full capacity for the Center’s evening networking event, which launched the newly revamped World’s Abortion Laws Map. Participants stayed after the panel discussion to connect and strategize on advancing abortion rights. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Devex Associate Editor Rumba Chakamba led the evening networking event highlighting SRHR advancements across the globe. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

Marci Ien, a member of Canadian Parliament and minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, greets an attendee at the evening networking event focused on SRHR, jointly sponsored by the Center and Devex. *—©Christian Manirakiza/BCW Africa for Center for Reproductive Rights*

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Tags: SRHR, SRHR access, Rwanda, Abortion rights, Women Deliver, Women Deliver 2023, Kigali, Women Deliver Conference

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