Transforming Laws and Policies for Reproductive Justice

Fòs Feminista champions a world where women, girls, and gender-diverse people have the power and autonomy to participate without barriers in society and make informed decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures.

Sexual and reproductive rights are human rights. Yet around the world, harmful laws, policies, and social norms threaten these rights, restricting women’s and girls’ bodily autonomy and violating their freedom, dignity, and safety. 

Fòs Feminista is advancing gender and reproductive justice by working to shift the power structures that shape people’s lives. Justice is not just legal rights. True justice means political voice, social support, and economic resources. It means the power to make real choices.

Alongside activists, communities, and movements, and working with men and boys as allies, Fòs Feminista builds momentum for transforming harmful norms and holding governments accountable to safeguard rights through laws, policies, and action.

Lifting up the next generation of leaders

“The Advocacy in Practice (AiP) training was a real opportunity to strengthen my advocacy skills. It allowed me to turn my ideas into concrete actions, while benefiting from the perspectives and energy of other committed young people. This exchange inspired me to defend my causes with greater impact and conviction.” Mariama Mouminatou Bah, Guinea
Participant in Fòs Feminista’s AiP training for Francophone Africa in September 2024

Creating Positive Change for Women and Girls

Behind every policy win is the lived experience of someone whose rights, health, or future is impacted. Our advocacy is rooted in the voices and leadership of women, girls, and gender-diverse people pushing for change. Between 2023 and 2024, that collective power led to:

197.5M

women and girls of reproductive age whose sexual and reproductive rights are now better protected through new policies and laws

We supported the advancement of national laws, policies, or judicial reforms that better protect sexual and reproductive health and rights in 14 countries. Our impact came through mobilizing communities, leading campaigns, media outreach, providing technical expertise, advising policymakers, building coalitions with civil society and activists, and producing research and social monitoring.

190

positive steps in legislative, policy, and judicial processes that advance sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice

Fòs Feminista engages at every stage of the advocacy process, supporting the introduction, advancement, and approval of new laws, policies, and judicial reforms. With our partners and allies, we hold governments accountable for implementing these commitments and defend rights against attacks. Our wins include 139 reforms to ensure and expand access to safe and legal abortion, 20 reforms to strengthen prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and support survivors, and others advancing gender equity, sex ed, and contraception access.

21

regional and global commitments secured to advance sexual and reproductive rights and justice

Fòs Feminista participates in regional and global advocacy forums, including in United Nations system, bringing a feminist and Global South perspective to the agenda. We lead strategy and convene civil society around shared goals for sexual and reproductive health and rights, ensuring that local experiences and priorities shape policies.

How We Make Change

Feminist Movement Building for Gender and Reproductive Justice

Through cross-movement organizing and direct advocacy, we advance law, policy, and judicial change at every level. This includes:

Local and national advocacy and accountability

We review policies, monitor public services, and work directly with decision-makers to secure laws and policies rooted in evidence and the lived realities of women and girls. We also hold governments accountable to follow through on their commitments.

Influencing global and regional agendas

With recognized leadership in the United Nations and other regional and global forums, Fòs Feminista convenes feminist civil society and advocates for the recognition and advancement of sexual and reproductive health and rights in global health, gender, and development agendas.

Evidence and storytelling

We gather testimonies, develop feminist research, and work with journalists and other storytellers to shape how sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice are covered and inform our advocacy strategies. Through campaigns and evidence-based narratives, we counter misinformation and build public support.

Strengthening the capacity of feminist leaders

Fòs Feminista’s Advocacy in Practice program supports young and feminist leaders from the Global South with knowledge, analysis, and networks so they are in a stronger position to have a real impact in regional and global advocacy forums, particularly at the United Nations.

In Mexico, GIRE, Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir – Mexico, and a network of local partners are working to align laws and policies across Mexico with the 2021 Supreme Court ruling that declared abortion criminalization unconstitutional. Together, they have helped secure reforms decriminalizating abortion in 24 states nationwide.

Photo Credit: Dafne Huerta - CDD Mexico, 2022

Advocacy in Action

Global Families Campaign

Embracing Families to Advance Justice

In 2024, Fòs Feminista launched the For All Families campaign to advocate at the United Nations and other global forums for policies that protect human rights, expand healthcare access, and ensure educational opportunities of all families.

Gender-based violence, Bolivia

New Law to Protect Orphans

Fòs Feminista partner CIES contributed to a new policy designed to support children orphaned by femicide In Bolivia. Passed by the Bolivian Congress in 2024, the bill establishes monthly financial assistance, psychosocial support y access to public universities for children and adolescents who lost their mothers due to gender-based violence. 

Abortion Rights, Brazil

Joining Our Voices for Justice

In 2024, Fòs Feminista’s local partners mobilized the public against a national bill that sought to severely restrict legal abortion access, particularly impacting adolescent girls who are survivors of sexual violence. Rallying around the motto a “a child is not a mother,” the campaign successfully built public pressure against the bill, and the bill stalled in Congress.

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