10 June 2021 THE RIGHT TO SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES DURING COVID-19 Submitted to: Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health Submission by: Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit, University of Cape Town (UCT) Authors: Nasreen Solomons & Harsha Gihwala Contributors: Professor Lillian Artz, Ms Millicent Ngubane, Ms Kassa Maksudi & Dr Mahlogonolo Thobane Contact Details Type of Stakeholder (please select Member State one) Observer State X Other (please specify) Research Unit based in Member State Name of State South Africa Name of Survey Respondent Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit Email
[email protected] /
[email protected] Can we attribute responses to this X Yes No questionnaire to your State publicly*? Comments (if any): *On OHCHR website, under the section of SR health I INTRODUCTION 1. We refer to the call of the UN Special Rapporteur (‘the SR’) on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest standard of physical and mental health, inviting submissions to inform her next thematic report to the UN General Assembly in October 2021. 2. The report’s focus is The right of everyone to sexual and reproductive health – challenges and opportunities during COVID-19. We appreciate the opportunity to engage with the questions posed by the SR. 3. The submission of the Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit (‘GHJRU’) will focus on the provision of safe and legal abortion services during the pandemic, with an emphasis on the opportunity to expand access to abortion services through telemedicine.1 4.