Policy Influencing & Advocacy

Our advocacy work includes research, campaigning, litigation, outreach and awareness raising among duty bearers and rights holders. We also train and build the capacity of civil society partners to be able to effectively advocate for law and policy change.

HDI uses litigation as a means to advance SRHR, including 4 cases litigated at the Intermediate, Supreme and Regional Courts in recent years:

• Assisted Reproductive Technology
• Infanticide
• Task shifting in relation to abortion
• Challenging regional laws on LGBTQ rights

Successful Advocacy:

In recent years, our advocacy has led to considerable achievements, including:

• The removal of the court order requirement for accessing safe abortion
• The inclusion of defilement as a condition for accessing safe abortion
• The decriminalization of sex work

Ongoing Advocacy:

• Efforts to address the parental consent requirement for adolescents accessing SRH services
• Efforts to remove the transfer requirement for vulnerable women and girls seeking safe abortion using Community-Based Insurance Scheme (Mutuelle de Santé)
• Efforts to propose the review of laws and policies to recognize LGBTI rights, gender inclusion, and the regulation of IVF and surrogacy.