Amnesty International Launches New 'Criminalization of Sexuality and Reproduction' Series

Amnesty International has launched Body Politics: Criminalization of Sexuality and Reproduction, a new series of tools to empower activists worldwide to challenge criminalization and stand up for their rights.

The criminalization of sexuality and reproduction occurs when consensual sexual and reproductive actions and decisions, or the expression of sexual and gender identities, is restricted or punished. Sometimes this happens through direct regulation, such as criminal bans on abortion. At other times, a range of laws and policies relating to public order or “morality” are used to indirectly police and punish sexual and reproductive choices or gender expression. These laws can easily be abused. For example, criminalizing “adultery” violates human rights and can also put women who have been raped at risk of prosecution for sexual activity outside marriage.

The 'Criminalization' series has three components:

• The Primer provides an overview of how states go about criminalizing key aspects of sexuality and reproduction, human rights principles that can be applied to limit states' use of criminalized approaches and the relevant human rights standards and protections that apply. It also contains seven in-depth issue specific annexes focusing on abortion, same-sex sexual conduct, HIV exposure, non-disclosure and transmission, pregnancy, adolescent sexuality, sex work and sex outside of marriage.
• The Toolkit provides concrete campaign planning strategies and techniques such as mapping stakeholder participation and power, identifying advocacy targets, and building capacity, among other things.
• The Training Manual is a guide that will enable staff/allies to deliver training for colleagues and external partners moving forward. This Manual is still in the final stages of development and should be released this summer.

To find out more about the 'Criminalization' series, visit Amnesty International.