The most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of
women in the world.

Latest items for DACH-PRACTICE-2

Nov. 16, 2024, 2:57 p.m.
Countries: Japan
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2, ABO-PRACTICE-1

"Emergency contraception cannot be bought in Japan without a doctor’s approval. It is also the only medicine that must be taken in front of a pharmacist to stop it being sold on the black market" (para 11).
Nov. 12, 2024, 1:32 p.m.
Countries: Latvia
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"The Committee...notes with concern...[t]he limited access, despite the existing universal health coverage system, of women to basic health services, including sexual and reproductive health services and modern contraceptives, in particular for girls and young women, including girls and women in rural areas, Roma girls and women, older women, girls and women with disabilities...The Committee recommends that the State party ensure access for all women and girls to inclusive and accessible basic health services, including sexual and reproductive health services and affordable modern contraceptives, especially in rural areas" (12).
Nov. 7, 2024, 2:19 p.m.
Countries: India
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"In the Kishanganj district of the impoverished eastern state of Bihar, health worker Pratima Kumari said supporting female politicians was an important way to ensure policies aimed at women empowerment. She offers free condoms and birth-control pills and talks to couples about family planning, opens new tab and the benefits of having just two children" (para 34).
Nov. 1, 2024, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: Sierra Leone
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2, GIC-LAW-1

"Medical care for pregnant women and babies is mostly free now in Sierra Leone, as is contraception" (para 5).
Oct. 9, 2024, 7:59 p.m.
Countries: Belize
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"In terms of access to contraceptives, the 2009 Sexual Behaviour Survey found only 47 per cent of young people correctly identified ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV. However, as much as 71.7 per cent of young people aged 15-24 reported using a condom during their last sexual encounter with a non-regular partner. The 2014, Knowledge, Practices, and Attitudes (KAP) in Sexual Behaviour and HIV in Belize Survey conducted by the Statistical Institute of Belize and National AIDS Commission show this had declined to 61.4 per cent (25,995). Urban youth were more likely to use a condom at first sex (70.2 per cent) than rural youth (52.9 per cent)....more
July 18, 2024, 6:38 p.m.
Countries: Guatemala
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"In 2021, virtual workshops on the National Contraceptive Guide for Adolescents were conducted for the departments of Jutiapa, Totonicapán, San Marcos and Huehuetenango, with the participation of 307 adolescents, and four departmental roundtables on the National Plan to Prevent Pregnancies in Adolescents and Young Women in Guatemala were established in Quiché, Jutiapa, Quetzaltenango and Chiquimula, as well as one municipal roundtable in Morales, Izabal. Contraceptive methods for adolescents were distributed in 43 'friendly spaces' " (27). "Since 2019, the Government has been conducting initiatives related to comprehensive sexuality education, such as performing screening tests for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and distributing condoms and lubricants, for the benefit of the...more
May 2, 2024, 6:29 p.m.
Countries: Denmark
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

Denmark and Greenland have formally agreed to launch a two-year investigation into historic birth control practices carried out for many years on Inuit Greenlanders by Danish doctors. Thousands of Inuit women and girls were fitted with an intrauterine device (IUD), commonly known as a coil, during the 1960s and 70s (para 1-2). "A recent podcast, Spiralkampagnen ('coil campaign'), found records indicating that up to 4,500 women and girls - roughly half of all fertile females - had an IUD implanted in Greenland between 1966 and 1970. But the procedures continued into the mid-1970s. Of these, it is unclear how many cases lacked consent or proper explanation. Among those affected were...more
April 28, 2024, 11:13 p.m.
Countries: Angola
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-1, DACH-PRACTICE-2

"n Angola, the Girls Empowerment and Learning Project includes improved access to sexual and reproductive health services. For out-of-school youth, the project scales up second-chance education, incorporating life skills and adolescent health information. It introduces a scholarship program reaching 900,000 youth entering secondary school, with a registration bonus for girls" (para 9).
April 19, 2024, 3:06 p.m.
Countries: Serbia
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"[There is] low use of contraceptives and the lack of knowledge among young girls and adolescents about modern methods of contraception" (14). "[T]he universal coverage of related costs under the State health insurance scheme [does not ensure access to contraception]" (14).
March 30, 2024, 2:46 p.m.
Countries: Lithuania
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"[R]eimbursement for certain types of contraceptives for girls and women 15 to 19 years of age is currently under consideration by the Committee on Reimbursement of the Ministry of Health" (12). "[D]espite the existing compulsory health insurance system, to basic health services, access to sexual and reproductive health services and modern contraceptives, for girls and young women, including girls and women in rural areas and Roma girls and women, [is still limited]" (12).
Feb. 20, 2024, 6:27 p.m.
Countries: D R Congo
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"[T]he Parity Act provides for the possibility for couples to choose a method of contraception" (12). "[M]odern contraceptives are [not readily] available, accessible and affordable" (12).
Feb. 16, 2024, 4:44 p.m.
Countries: Honduras
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Their main grievance was the failure to fulfil a campaign promise to legalise emergency contraceptives without restrictions" (para 6). "Honduras is the only country in Latin America with absolute bans on abortion and emergency contraceptives. A recent proposal to legalise emergency contraceptives in cases of rape sparked indignation" (para 7). "Much of the outrage was directed at the health minister, José Matheu. He implied that the morning-after pill was an abortive, not a contraceptive. President Castro could lift the prohibition on emergency contraceptives with an executive decree, as she was expected to do within her first hundred days in office" (para 9).
Jan. 16, 2024, 6:33 p.m.
Countries: Botswana
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Botswana has improved access to family planning services, contraceptive methods mix and access to emergency contraception and medical termination of pregnancy or legal abortion where permitted by law" (7). "Botswana has strengthened the Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health programme through the establishment of youth friendly communication strategies including 'Wise Up' — a social media platform and 'Youth Counselling on Air' (YOCA) — a telephonic counselling service targeting youth. Other initiatives include community mobilization, Information Education and Communication, capacity-building, and Youth Friendly Services and provision of contraceptives, prevention and treatment of STIs for the eligible youths" (19). "Botswana has put in place key programmes to address women’s vulnerability and mitigate impact...more
Dec. 5, 2023, 11:18 a.m.
Countries: China
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Forced abortions, sterilisations, the use of intrauterine contraceptive devices as well as hefty financial penalties left physical and emotional scars on millions of women" (pp 6). They are penalized for not using contraceptive when they conceive more than the required amount of children (MV-coder comment).
Nov. 21, 2023, 5:58 p.m.
Countries: China
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2, ABO-PRACTICE-1

"'I fear that in the short term, China will follow other countries and restrict women’s access to abortion and contraception as a way to force women to have more children. Ultimately, these policies will backfire and fail, but they could increase repression and crackdowns on feminist politics,' Gallagher said" (para. 24).
Oct. 4, 2023, 6:58 a.m.
Countries: Angola
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"[There is an] overall high fertility rates, in particular among adolescent girls, and high degrees of variance between rural and urban areas with regard to awareness and use of methods of contraception" (12). This indicates that women are made aware of contraceptives and are encouraged to use them but these females either refuse to use contraception or are not adequately trained on the proper use of contraceptives (MV- coder comment). "[A]ll women and girls, in particular those in rural areas, [do not] have access to affordable and modern forms of contraception" (13).
Sept. 30, 2023, 4 p.m.
Countries: Kazakhstan
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"The Committee commends the State party for enacting a strong legal framework for health protection and its considerable progress in the reduction of maternal mortality. However, it is concerned about the following: (b) The limited access to affordable contraception, as free contraceptives are provided only to selected high-risk groups" (p.14).
Sept. 26, 2023, 10:48 a.m.
Countries: Spain
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"This bill also provides for the reinforcement of sex education in schools as well as the free distribution of contraceptives and menstrual hygiene products in high schools" (para 11).
Sept. 25, 2023, 10:51 a.m.
Countries: Turkmenistan
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Saglyk’s comprehensive content on sexual and reproductive health is our most read. There is a great demand for this information, especially among women and girls. Turkmen schools don’t teach it. Families don’t discuss it. The media does not publish stories about it. The public space to discuss this basic aspect of being human is nonexistent" (para.5). "According to Unicef, Turkmenistan has the highest mortality rate among under-fives in central Asia. According to the latest UN population fund figures only 50% of Turkmen women who are married or in a relationship are using a modern form of contraception. And across all women aged 15-49, 8% have an unmet need for contraception"...more
Aug. 25, 2023, 9:47 a.m.
Countries: Ukraine
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Unlike most European countries, emergency contraception still requires a prescription in Ukraine. Although in practice, some pharmacies have sold it over the counter, women and girls cannot rely on finding a pharmacy willing to do so and time is of the essence" (para 3). "Current conditions in Ukraine mean prescriptions for the morning-after pill – paper or electronic – are impractical and likely to cause harmful delays" (para 4).
Aug. 24, 2023, 1:08 a.m.
Countries: Cape Verde
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Medical personnel [are not adequately trained] to ensure specialized attention and care for women and girls who are victims of sexual violence, including the provision of essential services for emergency contraception and abortion" (6). "[A]ll women and girls, including those with disabilities, [do not] have access to affordable, modern contraceptives throughout the territory of the State party" (11).
Aug. 15, 2023, 6:17 a.m.
Countries: Cote D'Ivoire
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"The increase in the rate of clandestine abortions from 31 per cent in 1994 to 42.5 per cent in 2012 (CEDAW/C/CIV/4, para. 233), the high rate of early pregnancies and the low contraceptive use" (12). "The Committee recommends that the State party, in line with general recommendation No. 24 (1999) on women and health and targets of 3.1 and 3.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals: (d) Ensure that all women and girls, in particular those in rural areas, have access to affordable and modern forms of contraception, intensify efforts by the Ministry of Education to raise awareness of contraceptives and sexual and reproductive health and rights by introducing age-appropriate sexuality...more
Aug. 8, 2023, 8:30 p.m.
Countries: Bulgaria
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"[There is] limited access of women and girls to affordable modern contraceptives, in particular in rural areas, and the barriers that adolescent girls face in gaining access to information on sexual and reproductive health services" (11).
Aug. 8, 2023, 12:20 p.m.
Countries: Senegal
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"Efforts have also been made to ensure access to safe contraceptive methods and to education and information on contraception and sexual and reproductive health throughout the country." (10). "The State has taken important steps in the areas of policy, human resources, infrastructure, equipment and logistics, as follows:Jegesi naa/Yeksi naa strategy: contributes to the availability of family planning medicines and products as part of the objectives of the Ouagadougou partnership for family planning; Contribution of non-governmental organizations such as Marie Stopes International through advanced communications strategies and the provision of family planning methods..." (11). "To address this, the following steps have been taken:...Distribution of male and female condoms at all centres...more
July 25, 2023, 10:44 a.m.
Countries: Cambodia
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"[There is] limited access to sexual and reproductive health-care services and information, including access to modern contraceptives and safe abortion, particularly by unmarried women and girls" (12).
July 10, 2023, 9:26 p.m.
Countries: Maldives
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"During the reporting period, Maldives conducted its Census (2014), and a new Demographic and Health Survey (DHS 2016/2017) which significantly contributed to bridging some long-standing information gaps in terms of prevalence of early marriage as well as challenges and achievements in implementation of the country’s Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) legislation and other relevant regulatory frameworks."(6)(NF - CODER COMMENT - The discovery of an information gap shows that women may not have had the necessary information or understanding of contraceptives which made it harder for them to gain access to them). "A range of contraceptives are available in all islands and coordination mechanism exists to guarantee proper management of contraceptive...more
June 19, 2023, 1:46 p.m.
Countries: Iran
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2, ABO-LAW-1

"In late 2021, a new law was passed severely restricting access to abortion, contraception and voluntary sterilization services—'in direct violation of women's human rights under international law,' as U.N. human rights experts warned." (para.11).
June 18, 2023, 9:21 a.m.
Countries: Malta
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"What makes this situation all the more vexatious is the fact that contraception is neither free nor easily available in Malta – and there is widespread ignorance about conception (sex education in schools tends to focus on abstinence and marriage)" (Para.15). "How many Maltese women are currently having abortions? In terms of unsupervised illegal abortions using pills taken in Malta, some data exists. In 2021, for instance, 350 packets were shipped to the island. But these numbers do not include pills already in Malta, passed on by friends or well-wishers, or those who want or need to travel (either those who do not want to break the law, or whose...more
June 14, 2023, 7:56 p.m.
Countries: Bolivia
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"A campaign to distribute contraceptives was launched in the country’s nine departments, with a total investment of Bs 1,926,334. Eight hundred health professionals and technicians in the nine departments received training in contraceptive technology, with an investment of Bs 875,000; educational outreach materials (samples and leaflets) on contraceptive methods were distributed" (25). Lack of training on the correct usage may be a barrier to the usage of contraceptives (MV-coder comment).
April 1, 2023, 9:26 p.m.
Countries: Uzbekistan
Variables: DACH-PRACTICE-2

"The reproductive rights of citizens, based on article 10 of the Act, include: independent decision-making on the birth of their children using safe and effective reproductive technologies; obtaining reliable and complete information on their reproductive health; access to safe methods of birth control and use of contraception; medical and preventive services and protection from means that pose a threat to health, including the use of scientific experimentation; obtaining medical, social and psychological assistance, and information in exercising their reproductive rights; and the use of assisted reproductive technologies. The Act establishes a separate article 11 on the protection of women’s reproductive rights, which states that the protection of women’s reproductive health...more