Women and girls who were victims of sexual violence within illegal armed groups should be considered victims of the conflict in Colombia and therefore entitled to reparations

The Constitutional Court of Colombia, ruling on a case filed by Women’s Link, has set a precedent allowing for reparations to be made to women and girl victims of forced recruitment and reproductive violence

Women’s Link Worldwide files an initial report with the Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP in Spanish) documenting violations of the reproductive rights of women and girls within the ranks of the FARC

The report includes the stories of about 35 women, including the emblematic case of Helena,* a woman who was forcibly recruited by the FARC when she was a child, then forced to have an abortion and use contraceptives, a widespread and systematic practice within the group

This represents an opportunity for the JEP to set an important international precedent by defining violations of the reproductive rights of women and girls within armed groups as serious human rights violations and war crimes 

Sexual and reproductive rights in contexts of humanitarian crisis: Venezuelan women at risk

The socioeconomic crisis ravaging Venezuela has led to a state of complex humanitarian emergency, and the healthcare system is getting the worst of it

Women’s Link Worldwide and the Asociación de Mujeres Afrodescendientes del Norte del Cauca (ASOM) present a report to the Truth Comission of Colombia

“We had nothing to do with this war, but we sure went through it.” “The war wreaked havoc on our bodies, our lives, our way of life, and our land.” “We lost our freedom in what was once a place of joy, security, and peace.” “We suffered multiple hardships due to the extreme violence we faced. We are entitled to reparations.”

Women’s rights organizations and medical staff at the Maternidad Concepción Palacios public hospital in Caracas demand release of official figures on maternal death in Venezuela

After reviewing the report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the observations submitted by Venezuela, women’s rights groups and medical staff from Maternidad Concepción Palacios are calling on the Venezuelan Ministry of Health (MPPS) to release figures on maternal death, which the agency has not reported on since 2016.