Putting it to Good Use: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Women's Right to Reproductive Health

This article discusses how human rights are being used to advance women's right to reproductive health. Part II discusses the intersection between human rights and advancing women's reproductive health. This is followed by a short overview of the United Nations treaty monitoring system, in Part III, and an examination of some of the major international treaties along with how they relate to women's health and human rights. Part IV then focuses directly on the International Covenant on Civl and Political Rights (ICCPR) and how it can be used to promote women's reproductive health, focusing specifically on the fundamental 'right to life'. Part V discusses how the Human Rights Committee (HRC) can improve the quality and clarity of its Concluding Observations when monitoring state compliance with the ICCPR to more effectively monitor the protection of women's right to life. [Descriptors: Applying Human Rights Law - International, International]