Assaults on women’s reproductive health & rights take many forms in Europe today. Barriers to safe abortion care are among the most problematic.

Sexual and reproductive rights are human rights. Governments have very clear obligation under international human right law to respect these rights. However, women in Europe still have these rights denied or restricted as a result of laws, policies and practices that ultimately reflect continuing gender stereotypes and inequalities.

Women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights cover:

– comprehensive sexuality education

– affordable and accessible contraception

– safe abortion

– quality maternal health care

There has been immense progress across the world and in Europe. However at the same time, perhaps because of that progress, we have begun to see backlash. Even where the law allows abortion, women face multiple obstacles to access it, including:

– Financial, social and practical barriers

– Denial of care and services

– Third-party authorisation, mandatory counseling and waiting periods

In December 2017, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe addressed a set of recommendations to European States to ensure all women’s sexual and reproductive rights. They focused in particular on women’s rights to life, freedom from torture and ill-treatment, health, privacy and equality.

Every day girls around the world are fighting for their freedom. This International Day of the Girl – join them and raise your voice:

1. Share the film and tell us what #FreedomForGirls means to you

2. Take action at http://www.globalgoals.org/dayofthegirl

In 2015 when leaders signed up to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – the Global Goals – they made a promise – to empower all girls. There has been progress but we need to keep up the pressure. If we work together we can make sure world leaders deliver and every girl grows up healthy, safe, empowered and able to fulfil her dreams.

With UNFPA support, Georgia is piloting an organised cervical cancer screening programme, one of the first such programmes in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is designed to reduce cervical cancer in Georgia, a disease that leads to 18,000 deaths in Eastern Europe and Central Asia every year, although it is almost entirely preventable.

Why is FGM still happening in the UK? Should schools be more aware? Why are women and girls being ignored? Leyla and Emma will get you talking about whether men and women are equals in 2012.

Critical of female genital mutilation (FGM) 17-year-old Hiba Warsame wants to convince others that it has no place in modern society.