Back in March, we opened a competition with the launch of My Body My Rights, our global campaign on sexual and reproductive rights. Inspired by a series of hyper-real images created exclusively for us by Japan-based artist Hikaru Cho, we wanted you to show us what the campaign means to you.
Hundreds of you from every region in the world came back to us with selfies, art work and more, which we judged based on their originality, effort and relevance. It was a tough choice, but here are our winners, who will be receiving signed copies of Hikaru Cho’s art work in the coming weeks.
To see all submissions, go to http://mb-mr.tumblr.com/ and while you’re there why not upload your own image either showing your solidarity with the campaign or sharing updates of your My Body My Rights campaign actions.
The Winners
| Bold ARTivism from the Iloilo Group in the Philippines. © Amnesty International | Solidarity, strength and joy from Canada. © Paul Thompson |
| Youth activists from Mali. Their sign reads: My Body My Rights. My body belongs to me. No to forced marriage and rape. © Amnesty International | Protesters braved insults and injury to join a demonstration in front of the Moroccan Parliament at the launch of My Body My Rights. ©Amnesty International | A playful echo of one of Hikaru Cho’s own images from this student in Portugal. ©Amnesty International |
280,000 voices rising
When we launched My Body My Rights, we also asked you to sign our petition calling on world leaders to protect the sexual and reproductive rights of young people everywhere. 280,000 of you from almost every country in the world signed. And your calls did not go unheard.
| Hikaru Cho (right) with a model sporting one of a series of body art images she created exclusively for Amnesty’s My Body My Rights campaign. © Amnesty International (Artist: Hikaru Cho / Photo: Jim Marks) |
In April, we handed in that petition to high level officals at the UN Commission on Population and Development. The Commission was making decisions on sexual and reproductive rights that would affect the lives of everyone, especially young people, now and far into the future.
Negotiations lasted a week and were intense. But in the end, governments reaffirmed that sexual and reproductive rights are central to social justice and world development.
The Commission called on all governments to respect, protect, promote and fulfil all human rights, including gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. It also recognized the need for universal access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and the right to sexuality education.
But world leaders failed to agree to end discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. And access to safe abortion services was limited to countries where abortion is not against the law.
Much remains to be done.
Over the next two years, My Body My Rights will be campaigning on vital issues like these. Join us.
