Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) lie about abortion to dissuade women from exercising their Constitutional rights to reproductive health care. Sadly, states are complicit in this chicanery by referring women to them. A new study has documented that this nationwide campaign of disinformation extends to contraception and its relationship to sexually transmitted infections. As is often the case, these lies hurt the most vulnerable among us, those who are young, poor, and with limited education.

The Chilean Ministry of Health has issued instructions to its national health sector to stop “normalising” medical interventions on intersex infants and children. This guidance is a global first: the first time that a health ministry has shown leadership in taking this step without legislation or legal action. They have done this while awaiting the development of human rights-affirming treatment protocols and legislation to offer protection from discrimination on grounds of “sexual characteristics”.Thank you to the Ministry, and to work by Camilo Godoy Peña, Andres Rivera Duarte and everyone who has worked towards this major step forward.

Analyses of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data indicate that 38% of women with an unmet need for modern contraception have used a modern method of contraception in the past but have chosen to discontinue use. This phenomenon, called contra- ceptive discontinuation, is defined as starting contra- ceptive use and then stopping for any reason while still at risk of an unintended pregnancy. Discontinuation for reasons other than wanting to become pregnant contribute to unwanted fertility and can lead to pregnancies that may be terminated through unsafe abortion. Not all discontinuation is necessarily prob- lematic. Some women discontinue a particular method because it is difficult to use or its use is unacceptable to the woman or her partner (for example, due to side effects) and subsequently switch to another meth- od—one that is more suitable to them and oftentimes more effective. This evidence review focuses on the incidence of and reasons for discontinuation, on interventions to reduce discontinuation and/or enhance switching, and on the measurement and monitoring of discontinuation.

Hoje é Dia Internacional dos Direitos Humanos. O aniversário da adoção da Declaração Universal de Direitos Humanos é um bom dia para se falar de todos os direitos que todos os dias são negados a milhões de pessoas, em todos os cantos do mundo.

Os crimes de honra configuram actos de violência cometidos por elemento(s) de uma família contra mulher da mesma família - irmã, filha ou esposa, partindo do pressuposto que um comportamento ou atitude é imoral e nociva à honra familiar.

A recente alteração do Código Penal (CP) que cria, entre outros o crime de Casamento Forçado (Artigo 154.º - B), reduz o alcance das disposições da Convenção de Istambul que, no seu artigo 37.º se refere aos casamentos forçados de pessoas adultas e de crianças, No CP as crianças não são referidas alegadamente porque, à partida os casamento apenas é possível aos 18 anos ou, com o consentimento de pais e/ou tutores, aos 16 anos de idade.

Os casamentos forçados de crianças em África poderão mais que duplicar até 2050, a menos que sejam tomadas medidas urgentes, alertou hoje o Fundo das Nações Unidas para a Infância (UNICEF), num relatório.

A man brings a Pokot girl back to her family home in Baringo County, Kenya, after she tried to escape when she realised she was to be married. The future husband had arrived at her home with a group of men and a dowry of livestock. The girl was unaware of the marriage arrangements her father had made. Picture taken about 80 km (50 miles) from the town of Marigat on December 7, 2014. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola

President Yahya Jammeh outlaws practice that affects three-quarters of women in west African country