My body, my choice

About this project

<p>The aim of the project is to raise awareness in Estonia that an important part of human rights is bodily autonomy, ie the right to make independent decisions about one's body, sexuality and reproduction. This is done through advocacy and consistent communication work in Estonian and Russian. Youth are targeted through a positive, empowering, and affirmative social media campaign on sexual consent and workshops on consent “How to say yes?”. As a result of the project, a discussion has started in Estonia on the need to introduce consent-based rape legislation; the human right to bodily autonomy has been introduced into societal debates on abortion and gender-based violence; young people's awareness of the importance of consent has increased; and the advocacy capacity of the organizations involved in the project has improved.</p>

Bilateral cooperation results

The Icelandic Women’s Rights Association (IWRA) has extensive experience in advocating for women’s interests at the national level. In addition, IWRA values and supports local grassroots initiatives. The organization was invited to partner on this project because Iceland successfully passed a consent-based law in 2018 with unanimous parliamentary support. IWRA possesses significant knowledge of this process and maintains a wide network of contacts, including activists, politicians, and legal experts who were involved in legislative changes. Their insights into overcoming the challenges associated with adopting the Consent Act and their advice on effective advocacy work were invaluable to all project partners. A total of three important meetings were held with the support of the foreign partner, among them a public seminar in 2023. The public seminar with Icelandic experts facilitated a broader discussion on bodily autonomy and human rights in society, using Iceland’s experience as a case study. The focus was on the unanimous adoption of Iceland’s consent law in 2018, exploring the solutions chosen, their rationale, and the situation five years after implementation. The seminar offered a detailed look at the behind-the-scenes process that facilitated the legislative change in Iceland. The 2nd partner meeting towards the end of the project provided an opportunity to share progress, exchange experiences, and discuss follow-up activities before the project’s conclusion. IWRA played a key advisory role, addressing challenges encountered during the project. This meeting included deeper discussions about topics raised during the seminar. It provided a safe and private environment for local partners to ask challenging questions, address struggles, and voice concerns—particularly on issues that public discourse in Estonia was not yet ready to tackle. The meeting was instrumental in summarizing project outcomes and planning for future advocacy efforts.

Project partners

• Icelandic Women's Rights Association Donor project partner· Iceland
• Estonian Sexual Health Association Project partner· Estonia
• Peace Action Community Estonia Project partner· Estonia
• Union Defending Violence-Free Life Project partner· Estonia
• Informal group Social Medics Project partner· Estonia