IPPF recognizes and believes that all persons have the right not to be subject to arbitrary interference with their privacy, family, home or correspondence and, therefore, commits itself to the following:1

4.1 All sexual and reproductive health care services, including information and counselling, should provide clients with privacy and ensure that personal information given will remain confidential.

4.2 All women have the right to autonomous reproductive choices including choices relating to safe abortion.

4.3 All persons have the right to express their sexual orientation in order to have a safe and satisfying sex life, having due regard to the well-being and rights of others, without fear of persecution, or denial of liberty or social interference.

AND further commits itself to taking all steps to ensure the attainment of the following right:

4.4 All sexual and reproductive health care services, including information and counselling services, provided should be made available to all individuals and couples, especially young people, on a basis which respects their rights to privacy and confidentiality.

Notes
1. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966, Art. 17: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, Art. 12: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”

The right can be used to address issues relating to:

• Legal frameworks which recognize the right of individuals to make autonomous choices related to reproduction and sexuality, including, for women, those related to safe abortion
• Service guidelines which ensure that personal information given will remain confidential
• Sexual and reproductive health information and services for young people that respect their right to privacy and confidentiality
• Persecution, denial of liberty or social interference due to sexual orientation • Forced pregnancy or continuation thereof
• Breach of confidentiality
• Laws or practices requiring spousal or parental consent for contraception or abortion

Facts & figures

• Each year, approximately 20 million unsafe abortions are carried out worldwide leading to 70,000 maternal deaths.1
• Approximately 28 per cent of young gays and lesbians in the United States drop out of school because of harassment about their sexuality.2 
• Women in Turkey still need spousal consent to have an abortion, even when adult.3
• IPPF Western Hemisphere Region has used interactive computer programmes and the Internet to appeal to young people and provide a confidential means to obtain information and counselling.4
• Client confidentiality is especially important with regard to protecting the rights of women to make autonomous choices regarding their sexual and reproductive health and in the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.5

1 World Health Organization in UNFPA (1997) The State of World Population p23
2http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/factsheet/fsglbt.htm
3 IPPF European Network (October 2003) Personal correspondence
4 IPPF (2001) Youth and Technology, IPPF/WHR Experiences to Promote Sexual and Reproductive Health
5 IPPF