This report is submitted by a coalition of organizations working to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights for Canada’s review during the 65th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, taking place October 25th 2016.
The report examines violations of articles 10 and 12 of the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women with respect to comprehensive sexuality education, access to a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health information and services (including safe abortion services), the denial of sexual and reproductive health care on moral or religious grounds, the health and safety of sex workers and the criminalization of the non-disclosure of HIV.
The List of Issues prepared by the Committee in March 2016 requests that Canada provide information on a number of issues outlined in this report. Specifically, the Committee requested that Canada provide information on:
- the provision of age-appropriate sexual and reproductive education in all schools,
- access to a comprehensive and integrated package of quality sexual and reproductive health information and services across all provinces and territories, consistent with international human rights standards,
- measures taken to ensure that the exercise of conscientious objection by health professionals does not impede effective access for women to reproductive health-care services, including access to legal abortion and postabortion services,
- number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions and the type of sanctions imposed for trafficking and exploitation of prostitution, and
- measures planned to ensure full and unhindered access to health care for women affected by sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS.