Positions on sexual and reproductive rights in Muslim-majority countries and institutions: a telling indication of things to come?

ABSTRACT

This article provides a policy analysis of Muslim-majority countries’ positions on sexual and reproductive rights (SRR). First-hand observations, interviews, and reports are used to review how statements around various intergovernmental moments continue to be formulated since the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. The analysis outlines both the similarity and diversity between and among Muslim-majority countries on a range of SRR areas, while pointing out that positions are by no means unique to them. Rather, it is argued that opposition to SRR defines a terrain of “unholy alliances” between and among different religiously inspired nations, and ends by enquiring whether SRR may be an important political indicator of real politik.

Cet article présente une analyse politique des positions des pays à majorité musulmane sur les droits sexuels et reproductifs (DSR). Des observations directes, des entretiens et des rapports sont exploités pour réexaminer comment les déclarations associées à divers événements intergouvernementaux continuent d'être formulées depuis la Conférence internationale sur la population et le développement en 1994. L'analyse souligne à la fois la similarité et la diversité d'une série de domaines inhérents aux DSR existant entre, et dans, les pays à majorité musulmane, tout en signalant que les positions exprimées ne sont en aucun cas spécifiques à ces pays. Au contraire, l'article avance que l'opposition aux DSR détermine un terrain « d'alliances impies » entre, et dans, des nations différentes du point de vue religieux, et, en conclusion, s'interroge sur la potentialité des DSR en tant qu'indicateur politique important de la realpolitik.

El presente artículo proporciona un análisis para fines de políticas públicas en torno a las percepciones sobre los derechos sexuales y reproductivos (dsr) existentes en países de mayoría musulmana. Con este objetivo se utilizaron observaciones, entrevistas e informes a fin de revisar cómo se formulan declaraciones sobre distintos momentos intergubernamentales importantes, a partir de la Conferencia Internacional sobre la Población y el Desarrollo realizada en 1994. El análisis realizado examina tanto la similitud como la diversidad existente entre países de mayoría musulmana, y al interior de estos, respecto a una gama amplia de temas vinculados a los dsr, señalando que estas percepciones no son exclusivas de estos países. Por el contrario, el artículo sostiene que la oposición evidente a los dsr establece un espacio de “alianzas impías” entre países de distinta inspiración religiosa (y también a su interior), para concluir cuestionando si los dsr podrían constituir un importante indicador político de la “real politik”.

KEYWORDS:

• Aid
• Social sector – Health, HIV/AIDS and sexual health
• Rights
• Arab States
• South Asia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Azza Karam is a Senior Policy Advisor at the United Nations Population Fund, and Convenor of the United Nations Task Force on Religion and Development.

Notes

1. See www.unfpa.org/events/international-conference-population-and-development-icpd.

2. For more information on SESRIC operationalisation of its health programme, see www.sesric.org/activities-health.php.

3. It is noteworthy that this document is very much in line with conservative Christian views and priorities expressed by the Catholic Church hierarchy and some Evangelical groups.

4. Mainly of the Final Communiqués and Resolutions of the past two Islamic Summit Conferences in Dakar (2008) and Cairo (2013), and the Declarations and Resolutions of the 41st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Jeddah (2014).

5. See Indonesia’s full statement: www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/pdf/commission/2012/country/Agenda%20item%205/Country%20statements/Indonesia_Item5.pdf and Malaysia’s full statement: www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/pdf/commission/2012/country/Agenda%20item%204/Country%20statements/Malaysia_Item4.pdf.