Reproductive Global Health and Rights

Acknowledging the significant interplay of human rights with the overall health of individuals and society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) ardently supports efforts to improve the dignity, autonomy, rights, and health of people in the United States and globally. ACOG endorses the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) resolutions regarding the rights of all women and gender-diverse people, the relationship of these rights to human rights, and the obstetrician–gynecologists’ social responsibility to promote and protect individuals’ health and well-being (1, 2). To this end, ACOG commits to encourage and uphold policies and action in the United States and across the world to ensure that all women and gender-diverse people have …

• The right to be full and responsible citizens of their countries, with equitable property, economic, voting, and freedom of movement rights
• The right to equitable education access and opportunities
• The right to work and earn a living with equitable pay for equal work
• The right to be free of all forms of gender-based violence such as domestic violence, sexual assault, incest, infanticide, honor killings, female genital cutting, and self-immolation at a spouse or significant other’s death
• The right to high-quality, evidence-based health care, including health and sexuality education
• The right to autonomous decision-making, informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality regarding their own health care
• The right to participate equally in ethically conducted clinical and other research (3)
• The right to decide when and if to have sex, including choosing one’s partner, and freedom from coerced marriage and sex trafficking
• The right to decide whether to have children, the number and spacing of their children, and to have the information, education, and access to health services to make these choices
• The right to safe childbearing, with resources available to reduce maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, and the right to parent the children they have in safe and sustainable communities (4)
• The right to live in an environment free of the effects of climate change, including food and water insecurity and exposure to toxic environmental agents (5)
• The right to safety and protection in times of civil conflicts (6)
• The right to live free from systemic racism or racial discrimination
• The right to live free from discrimination of sexual orientation or gender identity

References

1. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. FIGO statement: resolution on reproductive and sexual health (Washington DC, 2000). FIGO; 2000. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://www.figo.org/resolution-reproductive-and-sexual-health-washington-dc-2000
2. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Resolution on professional and ethical responsibilities concerning sexual and reproductive rights (Santiago, 2003). FIGO; 2003. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://www.figo.org/resolution-professional-and-ethical-responsibilities-concerning-sexual-and-reproductive-rights
3. Ethical considerations for increasing inclusivity in research participants. Committee Statement No. 9. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol 2024;143:e155–63.
4. SisterSong. About us. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://www.sistersong.net/about-x2
5. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Addressing climate change. Position Statement. ACOG; 2021. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://www.acog.org/clinical-information/policy-and-position-statements/position-statements/2021/addressing-climate-change
6. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. FIGO statement: protecting the health and rights of women, girls and newborns during conflict and crisis. FIGO; 2023. Accessed July 22, 2025. https://www.figo.org/resources/figo-statements/protecting-health-and-rights-women-girls-and-newborns-during-conflict-and-crisis

Approved July 2012
Reaffirmed July 2015
Amended and Reaffirmed July 2018
Amended and Reaffirmed July 2021
Revised and Reaffirmed July 2025