Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Silvia Amesty, MD, MPH, MSEd¹, Maria Elena Lopez, MD², Alcira Castillo, MSc³, Edda Quiros², Ana Rojas⁴, and Aurora Sanchez³. (1) Center for Family Medicine, Columbia University, 630 W. 168th St., VC 12-217, New York, NY 10032, 212-305-9107, sc1242@columbia.edu, (2) Ministry of Health, Calle 16, Avenida 6 y 8, San Jose, Costa Rica, (3) Faculty of Medicine, University of Costa Rica, School of Public Health, San Jose, Costa Rica, (4) Instituto Nacional de la Mujer (INAMU), Granadilla Norte, San Jose, Costa Rica

Reproductive health is a priority in Costa Rica as rates of unintended pregnancies are increasing, especially among young adolescents. The Political Constitution establishes that health is a right that every citizen has, and guarantees access to health services to all; however, reproductive health services are limited and there are controversies as to whether adolescents should receive these services at all. In order to expand and ensure the provision of reproductive health services in general, a task force from the Ministry of Health recommended the inclusion of a reproductive health chapter in a proposed General Health Law reform, based on international, legally binding treaties, and human rights principles (Costa Rica ratified the CEDAW in 1986 and the optional protocol in 2001). This proposal generated opposition among many congressmen, representatives, and religious conservatives, who claim that this inclusion was a just a move towards the legalization of abortion. As a response to this backlash, public health officials from government and academia organized a workshop in support of the reproductive health chapter. The goal of the workshop was to dispel myths around reproductive health, and to stress the need for protecting reproductive rights, human rights, and women rights. The workshop brought together public health leaders from multiple sectors and lawmakers, and emphasized that abiding by international treaties and the national constitution was essential to guarantee reproductive rights and promote economic and social development. We propose to present the results of the working groups where key community, government, NGOs, and academic leaders participated.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe strategies developed by academic, community, NGOs, and government leaders in a unique partnership, in order to protect and promote reproductive rights in the context of human rights.
• 2. Identify the combined role of international treaties, law, human rights, and public health in protecting and promoting reproductive rights

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No