Access to Information on Reproductive Health from a Human Rights Perspective

The Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter‐ American Commission”, “the Commission”, or the “IACHR”) has consistently, through its various mechanisms, received information on the various barriers women in the Americas face in gaining access to information on health, particularly in the area of sexual and reproductive health. Women who have historically been marginalized based on their race, ethnicity, economic status, or age are those who face the most barriers in access to information on health, and these barriers become even greater when the information has to do with matters related to sexual and reproductive health. Access to information is closely linked to the attainment of other human rights; thus, a failure to respect and guarantee this right for women can lead to an infringement of other rights, such as their right to personal integrity, the right to privacy, rights of the family, and the right to be free from violence and discrimination. This report identifies and analyzes, from a human rights perspective, international and regional standards on access to information on reproductive health, with a view that the States might eliminate barriers and effectively guarantee and protect this right of women without discrimination.