University of Botswana Law Journal - PULP

48 UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA LAW JOURNAL DECEMBER 2010
international community policies recognizing the right to maternal health care
exist, and individuals and states wishing to ensure the right to maternal health
care can build from these existing international community policies in
international human rights law.
To summarize, there are six main international instruments that
address the right to maternal health care: the CEDAW; the ICPD Programme
of Action; the Beijing Platform for Action; the Millennium Development
Goals; the World Summit Outcome; and the Maternal Mortality Resolution.
These international instruments both reflect and further establish international
community policy that recognizes the human right to maternal health care.
Each instrument plays a part in establishing a different piece of the
multifaceted right to maternal health care.
Clarification of International Community Policies
Establishing the Right to Maternal Health Care (Table 1)
Year
International
Instrument
1979 Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) a
1994 International Conference
on Population and
Development (ICPD)
Programme of Action c
1995 Beijing Platform for
Action d
2000 Millennium Development
Goals e
International
Community Policy
Established by the
Instrument
Women should be ensured
appropriate services in
connection with pregnancy
and the post-natal period. b
Women have the right to go
through pregnancy and
childbirth safely, including
the right of access to
appropriate health care
services that enable women
to go safely through
pregnancy and childbirth.
Women have the right to go
through pregnancy and
childbirth safely, including
the right of access to
appropriate health care
services that enable women
to go safely through
pregnancy and childbirth.
The right to access
reproductive health should
be universal.