U.N. agencies “are shying away from the politically volatile topic [of abortion], despite mounting evidence that restricted abortion access contributes to maternal deaths and constitutes a violation of a woman’s human rights,” Women’s eNews reports.

Noting that “[n]one of the U.N. agencies dealing with women’s rights and maternal health … has condemned restrictive abortion laws even though all have acknowledged their harm,” the article focuses on U.N. Women. The agency’s flagship report “recognized that ‘the criminalization of abortion results in severe restrictions to women’s rights’ … Although this language represents a landmark shift from previous reports, it has not translated into policy,” the news service writes. “U.N. Women told Women’s eNews that abortion laws can only be determined at the national level and subsequently fall outside of its mandate,” according to the article (Hindstrom, 8/2).