State of World Population 2012 - UNFPA Haiti

Treaties, conventions and agreements relevant to reproductive health and rights1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A key document that has inspired the whole human rights discourseand many constitutions and national laws, and a source of international customary law.1968 Tehran Conference on Human Rights proclaims and declares the right of individuals and couples to information,access and choice to determine the number and spacing of their children.1969 Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination1969 United Nations General Assembly Declaration on Social Progress and Development, resolution 2542 (XXIV),Article 4: “Parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of theirchildren.” The Assembly also resolved that the implementation of this right requires, “the provision to familiesof the knowledge and means necessary to enable them to exercise their right…”1974/1984 The World Population Plan of Action adopted at the 1974 World Population Conference in Bucharest, and the88 recommendations for its further implementation approved at the International Conference on Population inMexico City in 1984.1976 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is used by civil rights groups in their fight againstgovernment abuses of political power.1976 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted in 1966 and entered into force in 1976.Article 12 of the Covenant recognized the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standardof physical and mental health.1979 The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is the onlyinternational human rights document that specifically references family planning as key for ensuring the healthand well-being of families. CEDAW provides the basis for realizing equality between women and men byensuring women’s equal access to, and equal opportunities in, political and public life—including the right tovote and to stand for election—as well as education, health and employment.1986 Declaration on the Right to Development calls for development that aims at the well-being of the entirepopulation, free and meaningful participation and the fair distribution of the resulting benefits.1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child sets standards for the defense of a child against neglect and abuse incountries throughout the globe. In order to protect the best interests of the child, it aims to:• Protect children from harmful acts and practices, including commercial and sexual exploitation andphysical and mental abuse, and maintains that parents will be helped in their responsibilities of the positiveupbringing of a child where assistance is needed.• Ensure the right of children to have access to certain services, such as health care and information onsexuality and reproduction.• Guarantee the participation of the child in matters concerning his or her life as s/he gets older. This includesexercising the right of freedom of speech and opinion.1993 United Nations World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna affirmed women’s rights are human rights.4 CHAPTER:1: THE RIGHT TO FAMILY PLANNING