The International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Programme has completed a series of resource and advocacy manuals on reproductive and sexual rights in collaboration with different partners relating to the following regions:
AFRICA: African Human Rights System
Cases in African Commonwealth Courts
EUROPE: European Human Rights System
INTER-AMERICAN: Inter-American Human Rights System
INTERNATIONAL: International Treaty-monitoring Bodies
UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Treaty-monitoring bodies
A Handbook for Advocacy in the African Human Rights System: Advancing Reproductive and Sexual Health, 2nd edition, online here
The first edition was produced by the International Programme on Reproductive and Sexual Health Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto and Ipas-African Regional Office/Ipas Kenya, 2001, 193 pp. (Compilers: Anne Carbert, Julie Stanchieri, and Rebecca J. Cook. ). Second edition online, 389 pages, published by Ipas in 2006, was updated and expanded by Isfahan Merali and Kibrom Isaak-Teklehaimanot with contributions from Nina Kirabo Kavuma and Patty Skuster. This manual explains how the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and African regional human rights system can be used to protect reproductive and sexual health rights. Documents included in the compilation are basic texts such as the African Charter and its Draft Protocols, regional declarations relating to women’s rights, selected resolutions of the African Commission, and selected national and Commission case law relevant to reproductive and sexual health rights.
Legal Grounds: Reproductive and Sexual Rights in African Commonwealth Courts
co-published by Center for Reproductive Rights, 2005, 91 pp. Reproductive and sexual rights, which are guaranteed in international and regional human rights treaties, mean nothing if they are not recognized and enforced by national-level courts. This compilation provides much-needed information about decisions and gender-relevant jurisprudence of national courts throughout African Commonwealth countries. It offers a crucial starting point for women’s rights advocates who are seeking to further develop their litigation and grassroots strategies. This compilation consists of annotated cases of African Commonwealth courts related to reproductive and sexual health rights and gender discrimination. It includes cases involving abortion law, discriminatory customary law, sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS, sexual assault, and rights to education, immigration and citizenship. First volume online.
Legal Grounds II is a joint publication of the Center for Reproductive Rights, the International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Programme of the University of Toronto, and the LLM Programme on Reproductive and Sexual Rights of the University of the Free State, South Africa. The second volume of this publication, which summarizes and analyzes cases pertaining to reproductive and sexual rights, including gender-based violence, HIV discrimination, property and family law, abortion and claims of fetal interests, continues to examinee how national courts interpret and apply regional and international human rights laws — particularly when dealing with legal issues that affect women's rights. Legal Grounds II is a tool for advocates, activists, and academics working in the African region and can be used to: 1) Enhance and spread awareness of national level legal precedents and decisions;
2) Develop and strengthen litigation and advocacy strategies, and;
3) Identify existing gaps in the interpretation and adjudication of rights. Legal Grounds, published in 2010, is now online here: Second volume online.
Legal Grounds III: Reproductive and Sexual Rights in Sub-Saharan African Courts
Legal Grounds III contained 54 court decisions from 2008-2016, but many more were added from 2017 to 2022.
Online edition with updates. Flyer with Table of Contents. Entire book, 228-pages
Print copies available, e.g. for courses, conferences or organizations - See flyer for details.
Reproductive and sexual rights, which are guaranteed in constitutions and in international and regional human rights treaties, have no impact if they are not recognized and enforced by national-level courts. Legal Grounds: Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Sub-Saharan African Courts Volume III continues to provide much-needed information about whether and how national courts of African countries apply constitutional and human rights to protect reproductive and sexual rights. The case summaries, significance sections, and thematic highlights serve as useful resources for those seeking to further develop litigation, advocacy, and capacity building strategies.
Like its predecessors, Legal Grounds III: Reproductive and Sexual Rights in Sub-Saharan African Courts is a tool for organizations, individuals, and institutions of learning. The scope of this third volume has been widened beyond Commonwealth African countries to include cases from Francophone countries, while focusing more exclusively on court decisions related to reproductive and sexual health. Topics range from Children and Adolescents, Maternal Health Care and Services, Abortion and Fetal Interests, Adoption and Surrogacy; Gender, Sexuality, Women and Discrimination, HIV. For the first time in the Legal Grounds series, this volume features summaries of relevant decisions from Francophone Africa, concerning adultery, polygamy and infanticide. A number of countries are developing the discipline in their tertiary institutions. For example in 2015, the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, launched a Master’s Programme in Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Africa. This compelling publication contributes towards a knowledge base of court decisions that bear directly or indirectly on the exercise of reproductive and sexual health as constitutional and human rights in Africa.Published by Pretoria University Law Press (PULP) in 2017, and co-produced by the Center for Human Rights at University of Pretoria, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and the International Reproductive and Sexual Health Law Program, this volume was written and edited by an array of African contributors: Godfrey Kangaude, Onyema Afulukwe-Erichalu, Guy-Fleury Ntwari, Victoria Balogun, Ebenezer Durojaye, Tinyade Kachika, MaryFrances Lukera, Jacinta Nyachae, and Ronaldah Lerato Karobo Ozah. For eleven of the case summaries, the editors received assistance from Prof. Charles Ngwena's LL.M./M.Phil students in 2015: Rudo Chigudu, Yumba Kakhobwe, Martha Nambuyaga, Lelisa Nthabiseng, Phiwo Nyobo, Keikantse Phele, Dominic Rono, Mobby Rusere, Annegrace Rwehumbiza, Winnet Shamuyarira, and Phillipa Tucker. All were candidates in Prof. Ngwena's Master's degree programme in Sexual and Reproductive Rights at the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Professors Bernard Dickens, Rebecca Cook and Charles Ngwena served in advisory roles throughout the project.
The Application of Human Rights to Reproductive and Sexual Health: A Compilation of the Work of the European Human Rights System
produced by the International Programme on Reproductive and Sexual Health Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, the Federation for Women and Family Planning, Poland in collaboration with ASTRA - Central and Eastern European Women’s Network for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, and the Danish Centre for Human Rights, March 2002 561 pp (compilers: Julie Stanchieri, Nell Rasmussen, Dina Bogecho, Isfahan Merali and Rebecca J. Cook). This compilation includes the texts relating to reproductive and sexual health, such as the European Convention and protocols, and decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and former Commission. It contains the basic texts of relevant protocols and the revised Social Charter, Conclusions of the Committee for relevant supervision cycles XIII-XV, Recommendations, etc. of the Committee of Ministers. It includes relevant Social Charter monographs, the Torture Convention, the Biomedical Convention and European Union directives and European of Court of Justice decisions. Online in two volumes: Volume I Volume II.
El Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos: Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos en Acción (The Inter-American Human Rights System: Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Action)
produced by the International Programme on Reproductive and Sexual Health Law, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto and Profamilia Legal Services for Women, Bogotá, Colombia, 2001, Vol. I-IV. (compilers: María Christina Calderón, María Isabel Plata, Julie Lemaitre, Julie Stanchieri, Isfahan Merali and Rebecca J. Cook). Materials provided in this compilation include: Concluding Observations of the Inter-American Commission, Resolutions of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States, and Communications submitted to the Inter-American Commission and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Profamilia has published the manual in CD-ROM and print format (Vols. I-IV). The manual is also available online in four separate volumes:
Vol. 1: El Sistema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos en Accion, 166 pp
Vol. 2: Informes Annuales Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos 1991-2000, 183 pp
Vol. 3: Informes Especiales de la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos, 227 pp.
Vol. 4: Casos Individuales ante el Systema Interamericano de Derechos Humanos, 258 pp.
The Application of Human Rights to Reproductive and Sexual Health: A Compilation of the Work of International Human Rights Treaty Bodies
Now in its third edition, this is a compilation of the Concluding Observations and General Comments or General Recommendations relating to reproductive and sexual health that have been developed by the international human rights treaty bodies. Materials included in the second edition of the compilation are updated selections from the full text documents of: the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; the Committee on the Rights of the Child; the Human Rights Committee; and the Committee against Torture. The third edition is online on the ACPD website.
Bringing Rights to Bear: Analysis of the Work of UN Treaty Monitoring Bodies on Reproductive and Sexual Rights
produced by the International Programme on Reproductive and Sexual Health Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto and the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), New York, 2003, 291 pp. (Julia Zajkowski). The report analyzes how the six major international treaty bodies have addressed various reproductive and sexual health issues by reviewing their relevant Concluding Observations and General Comments or General Recommendations. It extracts the most significant pronouncements made by the treaty bodies and shows how they have contributed to the development of reproductive and sexual rights. The report discusses ways to build on the advances made by the treaty monitoring bodies in the field of reproductive and sexual health and rights and offers suggestions for furthering the effectiveness of the treaty bodies’ recommendations to states parties. An advocate’s guide, issued as a companion to the report, highlights strategies for promoting reproductive rights through the UN committees’ recommendations. Briefing Paper, Advocates’ guide, French translation, 2008 Update: Bringing Rights to Bear Anew.
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