ORAL STATEMENT
Humanists International
63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (7 September to 9 October 2026)
Universal Periodic Review of Belgium
Speaker: Mila de Baere
Mr President,
I speak on behalf of deMens.nu, a member organisation of Humanists International.
We thank the delegation for its presentation. We were deeply disheartened however to see the rejection of recommendations on abortion.
International human rights law recognises abortion as part of the right to sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as the rights to health, bodily integrity and autonomy.
Last year over 40% of abortions involving people living in Belgium were performed either illegally in Belgium or abroad, or legally abroad. Every year, between 330 and 800 people travel to the Netherlands for a termination after Belgium’s 12-week legal limit, at their own expense.
Belgian law also imposes a mandatory six-day waiting period. The WHO has recognised that such waiting periods demean women as competent decision-makers and has recommended that states eliminate them.
These restrictions disproportionately affect people in vulnerable and marginalized circumstances. The additional time, consultation and costs can make access particularly difficult.
Whilst work by my colleagues at Compagnon helps bridge this gap, by accompanying on average one person each week by car to the Netherlands, the state should not be outsourcing its human rights duties. Access to safe abortion is a human right and should not depend on whether someone has the means or ability to cross a border.
Thank you.
'Universal Periodic Review of Belgium', Humanists International