International Human Rights Standards in Conscientious Objection (2025)

Conscientious objection in the provision of sexual and reproductive health services, such as abortion, has been a central human rights issue in recent decades. Both the United Nations system and regional human rights systems have increasingly addressed conscientious objection in this context in their respective judicial decisions, reports, recommendations, and other statements. This document describes, systematizes, and analyzes legislative and regulatory developments at both the national and international levels, and identifies areas of consensus within the various human rights systems regarding conscientious objection in healthcare in general, and in relation to abortion in particular.