Reproductive Justice: New Commission for Equality founded

Reproductive Justice: New Commission for Equality founded

On September 13, 2025, the “Reproductive Justice” Commission was launched by the German Association of Women Lawyers. Led by Liane Wörner, professor at the University of Konstanz, the commission aims to clarify legal questions regarding self-determined family and offspring planning. Wörner, who was already active in the Commission on Reproductive Self-Determination and Reproductive Medicine, emphasizes that the concept of “reproductive justice” goes beyond medical measures and also includes the legal basis for reproductive freedom. The list of the commission's core issues is comprehensive and includes, among other things, the new regulation of abortion outside the criminal code and the examination of surrogacy.

In addition, equal access to reproductive support and family law issues regarding parentage and adoption will be addressed. According to Wörner, the commission will also include expert opinions from different areas of law, in particular constitutional law, criminal law, social law and family law.

Historical context of reproductive rights

The discussion about reproductive rights has deep historical roots, stretching back to the women's movement in the German Empire and the Weimar Republic. Calls for the decriminalization of abortion, midwifery care and maternity protection are some of the key issues now known as “reproductive rights”. Many of these concerns were taken up again in the second women's movement from the 1960s, but they have not been fully implemented to this day bpb.de determines.

Reproductive justice is not only seen as a mere right to abortion, but also includes access to information about sexual and reproductive rights, safe births and protection for pregnant women. These complex issues require a critical examination of social norms that are often influenced by colonial-racist and eugenicist ideas that have not been adequately addressed in some feminist movements.

Current challenges and requirements

In Germany, reproductive human rights are anchored in international conventions that guarantee the right to self-determination. Nevertheless, the German legal discourse is often perceived as not friendly to human rights, which leads to disregard for these rights. Although the Basic Law lays down important principles such as health, personal and social equality, the practical implementation remains inadequate.

The commission under Wörner aims to develop legal measures to support the current care and legal situation and thus combat discrimination based on race, gender or disability. Wörner points out that social and political transformation is necessary to achieve reproductive justice and thus promote equality in all areas of life.

Given the sometimes dark history of population policy in Germany, especially during National Socialism, it is essential that such discussions also take ethical questions and historical achievements into account in order to ensure sustainable coexistence.

The newly founded commission therefore represents not only legal but also social change on the way to a fairer world for all people, especially in the area of ​​reproductive justice.