Comprehensive Legal and Policy Approaches to Reproductive Health and Women's Rights in Access Equity
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Abstract
This study examines the intersection between reproductive health policy and women’s rights, exploring how legal and institutional frameworks shape access to reproductive services. Drawing on a broad corpus of international scholarship and policy analysis, it identifies key structural and sociocultural determinants that mediate the realization of reproductive autonomy. It argues that rights-based approaches remain largely rhetorical unless backed by enforceable legislation, inclusive governance, and responsive service delivery systems. Evidence reveals that legal recognition alone does not guarantee access, especially when obstructed by discriminatory laws, cultural stigma, or economic exclusion. Moreover, gendered power imbalances within households, health institutions, and broader society continue to inhibit informed and voluntary decision-making. The study also evaluates how international frameworks such as CEDAW and ICPD have catalyzed normative change but require more robust national implementation mechanisms. It concludes that reproductive health justice is inseparable from broader human rights, and that equitable reproductive health systems must be embedded within an ethical, participatory, and transparent governance structure that reflects the lived realities of women across diverse socio-political settings.
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