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That was the central question driving a high-level Ministerial roundtable at the 81st UN General Assembly, co-hosted by Rutgers, IPPF, SheDecides and Aidsfonds. Bringing together government representatives from eight countries, alongside civil society and feminist movements, the roundtable focused on strategies to safeguard human rights and SRHR.
Representatives from the governments of the Netherlands, Norway, France, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the United Kingdom, joined civil society champions and feminist movements, to share lessons to flip the script on rising global conservatism, with a focus on protecting rights and expanding access to essential healthcare for women, girls and LGBTQI+ people. This roundtable was a start for further collaboration against anti-rights actors in the years to come.
The session was opened by Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Government of the Netherlands, who stressed the importance of working together to counter anti-rights actors. Sjoerdsma: “What we’re discussing today is of crucial importance,” he said, making the Dutch government’s commitment to countering anti-rights clear: “I see this in many ways as an existential fight, we must go on the offense. We strongly support the work you do. Diplomatically, politically, the Dutch government wants to be the best ally possible.”
Moderated by Maria Leon, Co-Executive Director of Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, the discussion also highlighted the importance of young people in sustaining the fight for bodily autonomy. Maria-Antonieta Acalde Castro, Director General of IPPF, elaborated on the current tactics and impact of the global anti-rights groups, stressing that governments have a role to play in setting up broad strategies to counter the anti-rights actions: she stated: “Attacks on sexual and reproductive health and rights cannot be understood in isolation. They are part of a broader political effort to weaken rights-based frameworks, challenge democratic governance, and delegitimise the institutions that safeguard legal norms.”
Winning strategies
Despite fierce and well-coordinated actions from heavily funded anti-rights networks, partners around the world have continued to make progress. During the dialogue, participants shared examples of what has worked. From strategic litigation and cross-border collaboration to building stronger coalitions and connecting political action with the lived experiences of communities.
Marieke van der Plas, Member of the Board of Directors Rutgers Aidsfonds, shared the experience of Rutgers’ successful court-case against an internationally linked anti-rights actor, as well as the organisation’s upcoming merger with Aidsfonds. She emphasized that the increasingly coordinated nature of anti-rights actors requires an equally connected response: “Anti-rights networks coordinate globally. Our response must be just as strategic, coordinated and connected.”
Strategic litigation can also be a powerful tool when rights come under pressure. Drawing on recent wins in the region, Catalina Martínez Coral, Vice President at the Center for Reproductive Rights, highlighted the importance of combining strong legal strategies with broad coalitions.
But effective advocacy also requires working more politically. Nelly Munyasia, Executive Director of Reproductive Health Network Kenya, stressed the need to build political leadership and champions across political parties who can become allies in defending rights. She also highlighted the importance of connecting this political work to the lived experiences of communities, using human stories and evidence of the positive impact of sexual and reproductive rights and universal healthcare to counter anti-rights actors.
Solidarity across the movement was another key theme. Karin Nilsson, Executive Director of SheDecides, highlighted how organisations and movements can bring different strengths and roles to coordinated partnerships, creating greater collective power to push back.
Coming together to safeguard progress
The discussion underscored the important role governments can play alongside civil society and feminist movements in safeguarding hard-won progress on human rights and SRHR.
The roundtable marked a starting point for continued collaboration, with participants committed to building on the strategies and successes shared during the dialogue to protect and advance rights for women, girls and LGBTQI+ communities worldwide.