Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights
Providing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) training & advocacy is a core thematic service offered by IWILAP. We conduct comprehensive needs assessments to identify the specific SRHR issues faced by Muslim women. This assessment guides IWILAP to understand Muslim women’s knowledge, attitudes, and needs relating to SRHR. Based on our ten years of experience working with Muslim communities, IWILAP has conducted baseline surveys that indicate that Muslim girls and women are vulnerable because of their isolation, lack of support structures, and religious ties. IWILAP therefore conducts research and provides free legal services on a range of SRHR issues – including abortion, contraception, maternal health care, and assisted reproduction to women and girls.
Muslim focused Legislation or the lack of it, biased legal and customary practices, limited legal services and lack of awareness of rights can all stand in the way of access to SRHR justice for Muslim women seeking where criminal laws impede women enjoyment of SRHR. Therefore, IWILAP as an NGO working in Muslim communities puts SRHR of Muslim women at the core of our program because have a culturally sensitive approach when implementing to enable access to justice for Muslim women and girls.
Using human rights and reproductive justice frameworks, IWILAP works with a network of partners, lawyers, and activists, and through domestic courts and regional human rights mechanisms, to ensure Muslim women and girls realize their reproductive and human rights in accessing SRHR justice. Through the already existing national and regional SRHR frameworks, IWILAP strengthens Uganda’s sexual and reproductive rights movement through capacity building and creating spaces for solidarity, sharing, and collaboration among diverse stakeholders. IWILAP created a Muslim-led SRHR alliance that works with the wider existing National SRHR alliance.