IPPF charter on sexual and reproductive rights

For most of human existence and in most societies, women have been consider ed to be property and subject to men. Throughout history, with such notable exceptions as Queen Boadicea, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Elizabeth I of England , and Catherine the Great of Russia, women had little or no power until ear ly in the 20th century when the women's suffrage movement was successful in the United States and in some European countries. As women have gained political rights, groups of women have sought sexual a nd reproductive rights, as exemplified by the feminist movement of the past few decades in the United States. Although marked strides toward achieveme nt of reproductive choice have been taken in high-income countries, there r emain major structures to reproductive freedom for women in low-income coun tries. This area, which is replete with ethical and moral issues, has been address ed by the International Planned Parenthood Foundation (IPPF), which has wor ked to improve the sexual and reproductive health of women throughout the w orld. The IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights is a paradigm for both women's rights and human rights. Karen Newman is policy adviser with the IPPF and has codrafted the IPPF Cha rter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights together with two lawyers. She has h eld several positions within the IPPF, including medical researcher, press officer, and programme adviser in Europe, where she had responsibility for working with new family planning associations (FPAs) in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. At present, she is working to increase the capacity of IPPF m ember FPAs to undertake human rights-based advocacy for sexual and reproduc tive health and rights. Judith F. Helzner is director of Sexual and Reproductive Health at Internat ional Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region, Inc., where she has worked since 1987, She holds M.A. degrees from the University of Pe nnsylvania in International Relations and Demography. Her previous employme nt includes the Pathfinder Fund and the International Women's Health Coalit ion.